Pedro Neves Carvalho, Postdoc
Hans Brix, Professor
Phytoremediation is a technology that utilizes plants and the associated rhizosphere microorganisms to remove, transform or contain toxic chemicals located in soils, sediments, groundwater, surface water and even the atmosphere (1). A special type of phytoremediation based on wetland plants growing in a soil or gravel substrate, commonly referred to as constructed wetland systems (CWs), has been looked at as a promising technique for the removal of emerging contaminants, namely Pharmaceuticals and Personal Care Products (PPCPs) from wastewaters (2).
Main research until now has focused on CWs systems efficiencies. In this project we aim to extend the knowledge on the mechanisms occurring along emerging contaminants removal in CWs treatment.
Our focus is to identify not only the target micropollutants compounds degradation products to understand the occurring degradation mechanisms but also evaluate the occurrence of plant uptake and metabolism, as well as the interaction plant-microbe-soil-degradation.
Microcosms exemplificative picture
Different microcosms and pilot scale systems are used to study these processes (3), along with associated state-of-the-art chemical analysis.
Pictures of aquatic plants used in the studies, a) Salvinia molesta, b)Ceratophyllum demersum, c) Lemna minor and d) Elodea canadensis and a different experimental set-up e) and f).
Publication
(1) Carvalho, P.N; Basto, M.C.P.,; Almeida, C.M.R., Brix, H.. A review of plant-pharmaceutical interactions: from uptake and effects in crop plants to phytoremediation in constructed wetlands. Environ. Sci. Pollut. Res. 2014. Doi: 10.1007/s11356-014-2550-3
Conference contributions
(1) Carvalho, P.N; Basto, M.C.P.,; Almeida, C.M.R., Brix, H.. Pharmaceuticals removal from wastewaters in constructed wetlands. (oral-presentation) 14th EuCheMS International Conference on Chemistry and the Environment, Barcelona, Spain, June 2013
Literature relevant for the project
(1) Matamoros, V., Arias, C., Brix, H., Bayona, J., Removal of Pharmaceuticals and Personal Care Products (PPCPs) from Urban Wastewater in a Pilot Vertical Flow Constructed Wetland and a Sand Filter, Environ. Sci, Technol. 2007. 41:8171-8177.
(2) Matamoros, V., Arias, C., Brix, H., Bayona, J. Preliminary screening of small-scale domestic wastewater treatment systems for removal of pharmaceutical and personal care products. Water Res. 2009 43:55–62
(3) Carvalho, P.N., Araújo, J.L., Mucha, A.P., Basto, M.C.P., Almeida, C.M.R., Potential of constructed wetlands microcosms for the removal of veterinary pharmaceuticals from livestock wastewater, Bioresource Technol. 2013. 134:412-416