Zane Norvill

Citation

Thesis Title
Characterizing the Removal of Antibiotics in Algal Wastewater Treatment Ponds: A Case Study on Tetracycline in HRAPs

Read article at Massey Research Online:

The introduction of antibiotics via wastewater discharge into the environment is a major concern due to its role in encouraging antibiotic resistance. Algal wastewater treatment ponds are characterized by a unique biology and distinct environmental conditions compared with other biological wastewater treatment systems, meaning that the fate of antibiotics within these systems is poorly understood. Mr Norvill investigated the removal of antibiotics during wastewater treatment in algal ponds and demonstrated that the antibiotic tetracycline was efficiently removed in a variety of outdoor systems. He found that photodegradation was responsible for the majority of tetracycline removal during sunlight exposure, and sorption dominated removal during the night. Using experimental data, he developed a mathematical model to predict tetracycline removal under different designs and environmental conditions. The model was tested against outdoor pilot-scale algal wastewater treatment ponds and provides a preliminary means to estimate the risk associated with tetracycline passing through these systems

Supervisors
Professor Benoit Guieysse
Dr Raul Munoz
Professor Andrew Shilton