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This study investigated the use of nature‐based solutions for treating real pharmaceutical industry wastewater in Jordan. A pilot‐scale hybrid treatment wetland (TW) equipped with local zeolite was employed, comprising a tidal flow TW and a horizontal subsurface flow TW. This system was efficient in treating pharmaceutical wastewater with removal efficiencies of 61.4%, 52.6%, 60.1%, and 61.9% for chemical oxygen demand, total phosphorus, total nitrogen, and NH4+‐N, respectively. The final effluent met Jordanian standards for the reuse of treated wastewater in irrigation (Class B). Five pharmaceuticals, namely, enrofloxacin, ciprofloxacin, ofloxacin, lincomycin, and trimethoprim, demonstrated nearly completed removal (93.6–99.9%). Moderated removal performances (59.2–68.2%) were observed for two compounds, flumequine and sulfaquinoxaline. However, three pharmaceuticals, namely, carbamazepine, diclofenac, and sulfadimidine, showed limited removal performances (1.1–20.5%). This study supported the feasibility of using nature‐based solutions for treating pharmaceutical wastewater and highlighted that future studies are required to optimize this strategy for removing a broader range of pharmaceuticals. Highlights: Treatment wetland (TW) as a nature‐based solution can treat pharmaceutical wastewater.Tidal flow TW with a better aerobic condition was favourable for pollutant removal.Jordanian zeolite was a promising wetland media to enhance the treatment performance.The final effluent complied with Jordanian standards for wastewater reuse in irrigation.Some pharmaceuticals could achieve completed removal by the hybrid TW system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Byline: Othman Al-Mashaqbeh, Robert G. McLaughlan The longevity of compost-based storm water filtration systems has not been widely studied. Hydraulic conductivity measurements of compost amended sand media (20% and 50% v/v) within columns were undertaken. The results show that the filtration media in both columns had a reduction in the total saturated hydraulic conductivity. A tracer test showed there was no blockage due to biological or chemical fouling of the compost-sand (20% v/v) media. Particle size distributions results for the compost-sand (50% v/v) media suggest that there was minor degradation of compost particles. It appears gas production causing physical blockage was the most likely cause of the decline. It is recommended that compost filters are not run continuously but have drying periods which would allow any gas build-up to escape.

The zinc adsorption capacity and kinetics of different compost particle sizes were investigated using batch and column experiments. The results indicated that the particle size influenced the sorption process. The surface area per unit weight of the sorbent increased as the particle size decreased. The adsorption equilibrium data fitted very well both the Langmuir and Freundlich isotherms. The estimated sorption capacities of different compost particle size in the column experiment were 22.9 mg/g (0.60 mm), 17.3 mg/g (1.18 mm) and 12.7 mg/g (4.75 mm) compared with Langumir isotherm predictions of 26.6 mg/g (0.60 mm), 18.7 mg/g (1.18 mm) and 15.6 mg/g (4.75 mm). It is evident that compost has a high affinity for zinc which reflects the physicochemical properties of the compost particles. These properties indicate that weak physical sorption and strong chemical sorption is likely to occur between zinc and the compost particles. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A pilot grey water treatment system and collection network were designed, installed, and operated in Jordan Valley using natural filtration materials. Grey water from showers and washing sinks was collected from four houses. In order to evaluate the performance of multi-layer filter (MLF) ability to remove the pollutants from the collected grey water, the quality of treated and untreated grey water was examined and the suitability of treated grey water for irrigation was assessed. The results revealed that the efficiency removal of organic material before UV disinfection stage for BOD5, COD, and TSS was about 88.6, 83, and 92.2%, respectively. The efficiency removal rates for nutrients by MLF were a bit low as 32.5% of total phosphorous and 19.8% of total nitrogen were removed, whereas the removal efficiency of heavy metals Zn, Fe, and Ba were 94.8, 81.2, and 15.7%, respectively. The results showed that the pilot plant has efficiently reduced the coliform organisms, thermo-tolerance coli count, and Escherichia coli by more than 99.9% removal efficiency by the double-filter stage and 100% after disinfection stage. The current MLF system has the transferability potential to other locations of the developing world. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The largest wastewater treatment plant in Jordan was monitored in the summer to determine the removal of pharmaceuticals and personal care products (PPCPs). Grab samples were collected from the influent and effluent of As-Samra Wastewater Treatment Plant (WWTP). Liquid chromatography and tandem mass spectrometry (LC–MS/MS) were utilized to determine the concentrations of 18 compounds of pharmaceuticals and personal care products (PPCPs). The results showed that 14 compounds were detected in the collected samples from the influent and effluent of As-Samra WWTP. These compounds are 1,7-dimethylxanthine, amphetamine, acetaminophen, caffeine, carbamazepine, cimetidine, cotinine, diphenhydramine, methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA), morphine, phenazone, sulfamethazine, sulfamethoxazole, thiabendazole, and trimethoprim. However, four compounds were below the detection limit (<0.005 µg/L), namely cimetidine, methylenedioxyamphetamine (MDA), methamphetamine, and sulfachloropyridazine. Among PPCPs, the highest estimated average concentrations in raw wastewater were caffeine, acetaminophen, 1,7-dimethylxanthine, cotinine, and carbamazepine sampled during the summer, at an estimated concentration of 155.6 µg/L, 36.7 µg/L, 10.49 µg/L, and 1.104 µg/L, respectively. However, the highest estimated average concentrations in treated wastewater were for carbamazepine, sulfamethoxazole, caffeine, cotinine, and acetaminophen, at 0.856 µg/L, 0.096 µg/L, 0.086 µg/L, 0.078 µg/L, and 0.041 µg/L, respectively. In general, the results showed that some compounds in the collected samples of wastewater in Jordan have concentrations exceeding the values reported in the literature. The removal efficiency rates of 1,7-dimethylxanthine, acetaminophen, caffeine, cotinine, morphine, and trimethoprim were higher than 95%, while those of carbamazepine, sulfamethazine, and sulfamethoxazole were lower than 22.5%. Moreover, diphenhydramine and thiabendazole had negative removal efficiency rates. The removal efficiency rates of the PPCPs in As-Samra WWTP were generally consistent with those of indicator compounds reported in the literature for conventional WWTPs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]