Efficiency of an up-flow Anaerobic Sludge Blanket reactor coupled with an electrochemical system to remove chloramphenicol in swine wastewater

The application and design of treatment systems in wastewater are necessary due to antibiotics' potential toxicity and resistant genes on residual effluent. This work evaluated a coupled bio-electrochemical system to reduce chloramphenicol (CAP) and chemical oxygen demand (COD) on swine wastewater (SWW). SWW characterization found CAP of 99.99%, respectively. This coupled system can be applied to eliminate antibiotics and other organic pollutants in agricultural, industrial, municipal, and other wastewaters. HIGHLIGHTS Preliminary application of an anaerobic Reactor (UASB) allowed a reduction of 62.4% initial concentration of chloramphenicol.; The optimization of the electrooxidation process, for chloramphenicol (CAP) removal, reduces operation time and current intensity.; UASB + EO combined treatment allowed 82.35 and >99.9% of COD and CAP elimination.; The coupled system proved to be helpful for the CAP treatment in swine wastewater;