Integrated phycoremediation and ultrasonic-irradiation treatment (iPUT) for the enhanced removal of pharmaceutical contaminants in wastewater

Ultrasonication using low frequencies of sound can increase cell organogenesis, which is beneficial for various industrial applications. This study demonstrates a novel approach of integrated phycoremediation and ultrasonication-irradiation treatment (iPUT) used for improving the degradation of sulfonamide antibiotics via a cumulative effect of combined treatments. Variable ultrasonication treatment (UT) (20 %-2 min to 40 %-10 min) was given to a model microalga, Chlamydomonas mexicana in two ways, 1) single ultrasonic treatment (SUT) and 2) multiple-intermittent ultrasonic treatments (IUT). The microalgal growth was slightly affected by SUT, while it significantly inhibited by IUT. The removal of sulfacetamide and sulfapyridine was significantly improved by >1.7-fold and >1.95-fold at 20 % of SUT and IUT treatment, respectively, compared to control. In the case of sulfamethazine, the SUT showed maximum removal (33.5 %) at 20 %, whereas IUT could achieve 27.5 % removal at the same ultrasonication conditions compared to 9.5 % removal in control. The IUT accelerated the degradation of sulfamethoxazole and sulfadimethoxine more than SUT showing a 9- fold and 12- fold increase in the removal of sulfamethoxazole and sulfadimethoxine with 20 % and 40 % treatments, respectively. The changes in microalgal cell morphology due to ultrasonication treatment were the main cause of enforced uptake and subsequent degradation of these ECs.