Removal of emerging micropollutants from water using cyclodextrin

Small scale laboratory experiment series were performed to study the suitability of a cyclodextrin-based sorbent (s-cyclodextrin bead polymer, BCDP) for modelling the removal of micropollutants from drinking water and purified waste water using simulated inflow test solutions containing target analytes (ibuprofen, naproxen, ketoprofen, bisphenol-A, diclofenac, β-estradiol, ethinylestradiol, estriol, cholesterol at 2–6 μg/L level). This work was focused on the preliminary evaluation of BCDP as a sorbent in two different model systems (filtration and fluidization) applied for risk reduction of emerging micropollutants. For comparison different filter systems combined with various sorbents (commercial filter and activated carbon) were applied and evaluated in the filtration experiment series. The spiked test solution (inflow) and the treated outflows were characterized by an integrated methodology including chemical analytical methods gas chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry (GC–MS/MS) and various environmental toxicity tests to determine the efficiency and selectivity of the applied sorbents. Under experimental conditions the cyclodextrin-based filters used for purification of drinking water in most cases were able to absorb more than 90% of the bisphenol-A and of the estrogenic compounds. Both the analytical chemistry and toxicity results showed efficient elimination of these pollutants. Especially the toxicity of the filtrate decreased considerably. Laboratory experiment modelling post-purification of waste water was also performed applying fluidization technology by s-cyclodextrin bead polymer. The BCDP removed efficiently from the spiked test solution most of the micropollutants, especially the bisphenol-A (94%) and the hormones (87–99%) The results confirmed that the BCDP-containing sorbents provide a good solution to water quality problems and they are able to decrease the load and risk posed by micropollutants to the water systems.