Reza Shokoohi
1 
, Halime Almasi
2, Meysam Sedighi
1, Zahra Daraee
1, Somaye Akbari
3*1 Department of Environmental Health Engineering, Faculty of Health, Hamadan University of Medical Sciences, Hamadan, Iran
2 Student Research Committee, Ahvaz Jundishapur University of Medical Sciences, Ahvaz, Iran
3 Water Laboratory, Deputy of Health, Alborz University of Medical Sciences, Karaj, Iran
Abstract
The presence of pharmaceutical wastewater containing antibiotic compound is one of the new
problems relating to the environmental pollution. Antibiotic ciprofloxacin (CIP), widely used in
medical treatments, can induce antibiotic resistance in low concentrations in the ecosystem and
aqueous solutions. In this study, CIP was removed using moving bed biofilm reactor (MBBR) from
real hospital-derived wastewater. This study was carried out at Beasat hospital in Hamadan, Iran. CIP
(100 mL) was applied in 2 sets of plexiglass tubular columns as MBBR. Microorganisms were grown
on the suspended carriers. To achieve this purpose, polyethylene kaldnes (K1) was chosen as reactor
bed in 500 m2
/m3
specific area.
The effect of operating parameters such as mixed liquor suspended solid (MLSS) (100, 1000, 3000
mg/L), hydraulic retention time (HRT) (8, 12, 24 hours), and support media with carrier K1 (30%,
50%, 70%) were evaluated.
According to the results, the yield of CIP removal at 30%, 50%, and 70% of K1, reaction of 24 hours
at MLSS 3000 mg/L was obtained 50.5%, 68.9%, and 97.6% respectively. In the same conditions,
chemical oxygen demand (COD) removal was achieved 26.78%, 30.49%, and 80.07%, respectively.
Results indicated that the MBBR process can be used as an effective approach for removing CIP and
COD from hospital effluent. Moreover, these data suggested that the K1 carrier could be useful in
terms of mineralization and efficiency. Furthermore, development of biofilm in MBBR was mostly
affected by K1.