A novel system coupling an electro-Fenton process and an advanced biological process to remove a pharmaceutical compound, metronidazole

The objective of this study was to improve the mineralization metronidazole, a recalcitrant antibiotic by development new combined process coupling electro-Fenton and biological process. For biotreatment, various strategies were considered bioaugmentation, bioacclimatation biostimulation alone or combined. So, novelty strategy is combine advanced oxidation with conventional biotreatment activated sludge after 120 h culture, led 58.1% mineralization, whereas pure isolated strains, from culture in presence metronidazole by-products, identified as Pseudomonas putida (strain A) Achromobacter sp. B), 37.2% 40.1% respectively. After original acclimation strains electrolysis levels reached 75.6% 72.9% for A B respectively culture. results showed that by-products most important case combination autochthonous bioaugmentation biostimulation, 96.1% treatment. By two processes, global treatment therefore yield 97% reduction processing time 16 days compared previous