Validation of adsorbent materials and advanced oxidation techniques to remove emerging pollutants in treated

wastewater. LIFE CLEAN UPMartínez-López, Sofía1; Gabaldón, J. Antonio2; Gómez-López, Vicente M. 2; Cosma, Pinalysa3; Fini, Paola4; Menarguez, Estefanía5;

Fabregat, Víctor6; Hernández, Antonio J.7; Ayuso-García, Luis Miguel1.

1Environmental Department, National Technological Centre for the Food and Canning Industry (CTNT), Murcia, Spain; 2Universidad Católica San

Antonio de Murcia (UCAM). Spain; 3Università degli Studi di Bari Aldo Moro, Italy; 4Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche, Italy; 5HIDROGEA, Gestión

Integral de las Aguas de Murcia, S.A., Spain; 6Regenera Levante, S.L., Spain; 7HIDROTEC Tratamiento de Aguas, S.L., Spain.

Improve wastewater treatment management through innovative, efficient and environmentally

friendly technology to obtain treated water free of emerging pollutants (EPs). To do this, we will

develop and validate a system that eliminates EPs and other pathogens from wastewater that will

consist of an adsorption system of cyclodextrin polymers (CDs) coupled with advanced oxidation

processes (AOP).

The designed technology will be tested in a

WWTP where wastewater will be collected

continuously and introduced into a filter filled

with adsorbent material of Cyclodextrins.

02

At the outlet of this adsorption process, a photocatalysis unit will be installed to remove by oxidation any remaining pollutant that is not retained.

03

The cyclodextrin desorption product full of

pollutants will be accumulated in a reject tank

for further treatment by means of a pulsed

light system that will destroy the pollutants

that were adsorbed by the CDs.

04

The application of this treatment system in a WWTP will be of demonstrative character and will allow its application in other WWTPs in order to remove EPs from the outgoing wastewater.

Laboratory prototype

Semi-industrial prototype

o Tests carried out so far have shown that the proposed

combination of technologies is able to remove up to

90% of EPs present in treated wastewater, both

pharmaceuticals and phytosanitary products.

o The ultrafiltration stage, after the water has passed

through the CDs, ensures and maintains the

disinfection of the wastewater, complying with EU

Regulation (2020/741), while increasing the useful life

of the CDs, which have a high number of cycles.

Assessment of the technical

and economic feasibility of

the proposed technology for

its commercialisation and

implementation at industrial

level.