Low-cost alternative water treatment for removal of PPCPs in Lagos wastewater, Nigeria

Lekan Abudu Abudu, David Adeyemi, Temilola Oluseyi, Luqman Adams, H. M. Coleman, Svetlana Tretsiakova-McNally, Joerg Arnscheidt

Research output: Contribution to conferencePosterpeer-review

280 Downloads (Pure)

Abstract

This study reports the fate of pharmaceuticals and personal care products (PPCPs), and potentials of use of
activated carbon for the removal of PPCPs in the wastewater. The presence of these contaminants in the environment has posed a lot of threats to human health and the environment. The major sources of pharmaceuticals
in water bodies are wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) effluents, untreated sewage and runoff from agricultural farms. Lagos, a highly populated city in Nigeria is faced with the challenges of PPCPs in the waterbodies
and only a limited studies have been carried out on the removal of these pollutants in the waterbodies. Antibiotics are one of the most prevalent classes of pharmaceuticals found in Lagos water bodies (Ebele et al.,
2017) and their presence has resulted in significant human burdens, hence the resistance of several microorganisms to commonly prescribed antibiotics. Several water treatment methods for removal of pollutants from
water include advanced oxidation processes, nano filtration and reverse osmosis, but most of them are expensive, and sometimes generate toxic by-products. Adsorption is an alternative method for wastewater treatment
and is widely accepted due to its ease of operation, relatively low cost and maintenance. This has led to the
development of numerous adsorbents for environmental remediation, such as activated carbon, nanocomposites, clays, and polymeric porous materials (Abo El Naga et al., 2019). With its high surface area, large pores,
great adsorption capacity, hydrophobicity, remarkable recycling ability, operational stability, ease of regeneration procedures, and eco-friendliness, activated carbon is one of the most widely used adsorbents for water
remediation. This study aims at activating low-cost agricultural wastes for the removal of selected commonly
consumed PPCPs found in the Lagos water bodies resulting from WWTPs, drainages and canals in the city as
they are channeled into the Lagos lagoon.
Original languageEnglish
Pages43
Number of pages1
Publication statusPublished (in print/issue) - Dec 2022
Event32nd Irish Environmental Researchers Colloquium - Ulster University, Belfast
Duration: 20 Jun 202222 Jun 2022
Conference number: 32
http://www.environ2022.org

Conference

Conference32nd Irish Environmental Researchers Colloquium
Abbreviated titleEnviron 2022
CityBelfast
Period20/06/2222/06/22
Internet address

Fingerprint

Dive into the research topics of 'Low-cost alternative water treatment for removal of PPCPs in Lagos wastewater, Nigeria'. Together they form a unique fingerprint.

Cite this