Removal efficiency of pharmaceuticals and personal care products with varying wastewater treatment processes and operating conditions – conception of a database and first results

Abstract

We created a database in order to quantitatively assess the occurrence and removal efficiency of PPCPs in WWTPs. From 113 scientific publications, we compiled 5887 data on the concentrations and loads of PPCPs in WWTP influents and effluents, and on their removal efficiency. The first outputs of our database include: (1) a list of the most frequently studied molecules, their frequency of detection, their mean concentration and removal in liquid influent and effluent; (2) a comparison of the removal efficiency for different WWTP processes; (3) a study of the influence of the operating conditions (sludge and hydraulic retention times).