Simultaneous removal of contaminants of emerging concern and pathogens from urban wastewater by homogeneous solar driven advanced oxidation processes

Simultaneous removal of contaminants of emerging concern and bacteria inactivation in simulated municipal wastewater effluent (SMWW) through solar advanced oxidation processes, namely sunlight/H2O2 and solar photo-Fenton with Ethylenediamine-N,N′-disuccinic acid (EDDS) at neutral pH was investigated. Process efficiency was evaluated in terms of (i) degradation of five contaminants of emerging concern (CECs, namely caffeine, carbamazepine, diclofenac, sulfamethoxazole and trimethoprim) at the initial concentration of 100 μgL−1 each and (ii) bacteria inactivation (E. coli, S. enteritidis and E. faecalis), at the initial concentration of 103 CFU mL−1 each. Solar photo-Fenton process was first investigated at lab scale in a solar simulator to evaluate the effect of iron concentration (0.1 mM and 0.05 mM) and Fe:EDDS ratio (1:2 and 1:1). Subsequently, sunlight/H2O2 and solar photo-Fenton with EDDS (molar ratio 1:1, Fe(III) 0.1 mM) at neutral pH were singularly and sequentially investigated at pilot scale in a raceway pond reactor. Sunlight/H2O2 (50 mg L−1) tests resulted in total bacteria inactivation in 60 min (0.69 kJ L−1) but low CECs removal efficiency. On the opposite, solar photo-Fenton was effective in the removal of the total CECs (87% removal after 20 min and 0.14 kJ L−1) but not in E. faecalis inactivation (the initial concentration did not change even after 180 min). However, when the two processes were operated sequentially, a complete bacteria inactivation was observed in 15 min (0.17 kJ L−1), 20 min (0.23 kJ L−1) and 60 min (0.70 kJ L−1) of treatment for E. coli, S. enteritidis and E. faecalis, respectively and 80% removal of total CECs was achieved after 10 min of Fe:EDDS addition. Sequential combination of sunlight/H2O2 and solar photo-Fenton would be an effective solution for simultaneous CECs removal and bacteria inactivation in the same photo-reactor. [Display omitted] •Sunlight/H2O2 more effective as disinfection process (total inactivation in 60 min)•Solar photo Fenton (with EDDS, neutral pH) more effective in CECs removal•Sequential treatment most effective solution for disinfection and CECs removal•Sunlight/H2O2 should be used as first step in the sequential treatment.•Sequential process is an interesting solution for urban wastewater tertiary treatment.