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Pilot-scale multi-channel mixed-matrix membranes for pharmaceutical removal in advanced municipal wastewater treatment
Summary
Researchers tested a pilot-scale membrane system combining filtration and activated carbon to remove pharmaceuticals from municipal wastewater, achieving 87% cumulative removal in the first 24 hours before saturation reduced efficiency, with ethanol regeneration partially restoring performance at an estimated cost of €0.35 per cubic meter.
Pharmaceutical residues in municipal effluents are an emerging environmental concern, yet scalable, cost-effective solutions for quaternary treatment remain limited. We evaluated a pilot-scale hybrid process that couples membrane filtration with activated carbon adsorption using multi-channel mixed-matrix membranes (MCMMMs) previously validated at lab scale. The system, with an active filtration area of 726 cm 2 , treated secondary effluent from a municipal wastewater treatment plant over 144 h. Thirty-three pharmaceuticals were detected and quantified in feed and permeate by LC–MS/MS to assess compound-specific and cumulative removal. The cumulative retention of all monitored pharmaceuticals was initially 87.4% during the first 24 h, declining to 45.3% by 72 h, indicative of adsorbent saturation; no evidence of progressive membrane fouling was observed. Chemical regeneration with a 75% aqueous ethanol solution at 72 h partially restored cumulative removal to 76.3%, demonstrating recoverable performance. A technoeconomic assessment estimated treatment costs of 0.35 € m −3 assuming on-site regeneration solvent recovery via distillation. Potential co-benefits – including reduced competition from wastewater DOM protecting the embedded activated carbon, as well as phosphorus, pathogen and microplastic reduction – enhance the overall value proposition of the hybrid MCMMM approach. This pilot study confirms the diversity and persistence of pharmaceuticals in municipal effluent and demonstrates the feasibility, regenerability, and practical performance of MCMMMs as a quaternary treatment step, informing scale-up and integration into advanced municipal wastewater treatment. • Pilot-scale MCMMMs removed pharmaceuticals from real WWTP effluent. • Cumulative removal was 87.4% during first 24 h and dropped thereafter. • 75% ethanol regeneration partially restored adsorption and performance. • Stable hydraulics with no progressive fouling during 144 h. • Cost estimated at 0.35 € m −3 with on-site solvent recovery.