Daphne water solutions for the removal of emerging pollutants from wastewater: market assessment and technical feasibility

化学品造成的环境污染是欧盟委员会承认的一个环境问题。限制药物对人类和环境健康影响的立法措施将于2018年下半年实施(第2013/39/EU号指令)，而有关农药使用的新规定将由2020年《水框架指令》的结果决定。现有的去除药物的技术(臭氧、氯化和紫外线处理)效率低下，需要专门的基础设施和持续的能源供应。从废水中去除农药的技术在某种程度上更有效。然而，在制药方面，消除农药需要特殊的基础设施和/或过滤系统，而且需要能源。Orsini博士测试和优化了一种环境友好且具有成本效益的生物解决方案，用于从实验室环境的废水中去除药物和农药。与人工设计的结构相比，这种解决方案效率很高，需要的基础设施最少，能源需求也最少。该解决方案使用自然产生的活性滤料Daphnia作为清除剂，利用其在对周围介质进行活性过滤后代谢化学物质的能力。实验室实验表明，水蚤的效率是细菌或藻类的两倍，在几天内就能完全清除。本探路者的目的是通过市场评估、确定支持可行性研究的行业合作伙伴以及确定在现有污水处理厂工作流程中实施DWS的实际解决方案，计划将DWS全面推向市场。探路者有以下四个目标：1.委托进行独立的市场评估2.确认目标最终用户并确保早期采用者的安全。3.与早期采用者接触，以确定将DWS引入污水处理厂的典型工作流程所需的基础设施调整。了解最终用户对及早采用的需求将澄清提供专家所知的方法和实施支持的咨询服务是否是DWS.4的首选市场途径。在最终用户中确定愿意提供实物支持和现场可行性研究的工业合作伙伴随着废水中药品的监管即将到位，政府、地方当局和工业将被要求实施从废水中去除化学物质的解决方案。目前用于去除药物的解决方案效率约为50%，保留时间为数周，能耗超过1.2kW/m。此外，它们需要安装大中型基础设施并产生废物，这对人类和环境健康造成了额外的成本和影响。与工程解决方案相比，DWS使用自然生物资源，需要最少的基础设施，包括由细网包围的围栏，并且不产生二次废物。定期从笼子里移走的水蚤将以化肥和/或鱼食的形式产生能量。关键词：药物去除，废水，地表水，生物修复，水务，技术咨询利益相关者：大华大学，生物科学学院，伯明翰水务委员会，水务，技术和创新咨询机构，政策制定者，非政府组织，EFSA，DEFRA，欧盟委员会，USEPA

Environmental pollution caused by chemicals is acknowledged by the European Commission as an environmental problem. Legislative measures to limit the impact of pharmaceuticals on human and environmental health will take place in the second half of 2018 (Directive 2013/39/EU), whereas new regulations for pesticide use will be determined by the outcome of the Water Framework Directive in 2020. Existing technologies for the removal of pharmaceuticals (ozonation, chlorination and UV treatment) are inefficient, require specialized infrastructures, and a constant energy supply. Technologies for the removal of pesticides from wastewater are somewhat more effective. However, as for pharmaceuticals, the elimination of pesticides requires special infrastructures and/or filtration systems and it is energy demanding.Dr Orsini has tested and optimized an environmentally friendly and cost-effective biological solution for the removal of pharmaceuticals and pesticides from wastewaters in laboratory environments. As compared to human-engineered structures, this solution is highly effective, requires minimal infrastructures, and has minimal energy demand. The solution uses the naturally occurring, active filter feeder Daphnia as a removal agent, capitalizing on its ability to metabolize chemicals following the active filtering of the surrounding medium. Laboratory experiments show that Daphnia is twice as efficient as bacteria or algae, reaching complete removal within a few days. The purpose of this Pathfinder is to plan the full development to market of DWS through a market assessment, the identification of an industrial partner supporting a feasibility study and the identification of practical solutions for the implementation of DWS in existing wastewater plant workflows. The pathfinder has the following four objectives:1. To commission an independent market assessment2. To confirm target end-users and secure early-adopters. 3. To engage with early adopters to identify infrastructure adjustments needed to introduce DWS into a typical workflow of wastewater treatment plants. Understanding the end user needs for early adoption will clarify whether a consultancy service that provides expert known how and implementation support is the preferred pathway to market for DWS.4. To identify an industrial partner among the end users that is ready to provide in-kind support and a field site for a feasibility studyWith the regulation of pharmaceuticals in wastewater soon in place, the government, local authorities and industry will be required to implement solutions for the removal of chemicals from wastewater. Current solutions for the removal of pharmaceuticals have an efficiency removal of about 50%, a retention time of weeks, and energy consumption above 1.2.kW/m. Moreover, they require the installation of medium to large infrastructures and produce waste, which disposal imposes additional costs and impacts on human and environmental health. As compared to engineered solutions, DWS uses natural biological resources, requires minimal infrastructures consisting of a containment cage surrounded by a fine mesh, and does not produce secondary waste. Daphnia removed periodically from the cages will generate energy in the form of fertilizers and/or fish food. Therefore, DWS has high potential for solving the problems of water sanitation and water quality in both developed and developing countries.Keywords: pharmaceutical removal, wastewater, surface water, bioremediation, water utilities, technology consultancy Stakeholders: UoB, School of Biosciences, Birmingham Water Council, water utilities, technology and innovation consultancy agencies, policy makers, NGOs, EFSA, DEFRA, European Commission, USEPA