EVALUATION OF AEROBIC AND ANAEROBIC BIODEGRADABILITY AND TOXICITY ASSESSMENT OF REAL PHARMACEUTICAL WASTEWATER FROM INDUSTRIAL PRODUCTION OF ANTIBIOTICS

Abstract This study evaluates aerobic and anaerobic biodegradability and toxicity of a real pharmaceutical wastewater, which focuses on antibiotics production. Zahn-Wellens and Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) methodologies were applied in order to verify the wastewater's biodegradability and Microtox® analysis was performed for toxicity tests. Tests achieved more than 89% and 63% of Total Organic Carbon reduction, showing 80% and 50% of antibiotic removal, for aerobic and anaerobic processes, respectively. Moreover, acute ecotoxicological tests revealed that both ...