Remoção de antibióticos da água por nanofiltração

Conventional methods usually employed in water and wastewater treatment plants have presented low effectiveness in removing antibiotics and other contaminants of emerging concern. Therefore, in view of the problems associated with these contaminants (toxicity, carcinogenic potential, development of bacteria that are super resistant to antibiotics, endocrine disruption, etc.), it is necessary to study new technologies for treating water and wastewater. In this context, the present study evaluates nanofiltration, a membrane technology, for removing three widely consumed antibiotics (Tetracycline, Norfloxacin and Sulfamethoxazole) from water. The NF270 membrane (DOW – FilmTec), a polyamide membrane with a molecular weight cut-off of 400 Da, was used and evaluated in terms of productivity and ability to remove antibiotics at pressures from 2 to 8 bar. High productivity was obtained, with permeate fluxes around 100 kg h–1 m–2 at a pressure of 8 bar, and antibiotic removals of up to 95%, demonstrating the effectiveness of nanofiltration in removing these contaminants. It is important to point out that under the evaluated conditions, no fouling of the membrane was observed, a very important fact as it allows for a longer useful life of the membranes, reducing operation and maintenance costs.