Akademik Veri Yönetim Sistemi
6. International Environmental Chemistry Congress, Trabzon, Türkiye, 5 - 08 Kasım 2024, (Yayınlanmadı)
Diuron is a persistent herbicide
that, due to its widespread use in agriculture, can enter wastewater systems
through runoff, leaching from agricultural fields, and the discharge of
industrial wastewater. Its classification as a priority hazardous substance by
the European Union Water Framework Directive (2000/60/EC and 2013/39/EU) stems
from its toxicological impact on aquatic organisms and potential risks to human
health.1,2 Several studies indicate that Diuron is resistant to
conventional wastewater treatment processes, such as biological treatment in
activated sludge systems, which makes its complete removal challenging. Studies
have shown that conventional biological treatment methods, such as activated
sludge processes, are only partially effective at removing Diuron from
wastewater.3
The objective of this research is to
assess the biodegradation potential of Diuron and its inhibition effects on
microbial cells using kinetic models. Experiments were conducted using both
non-adapted and adapted mixed microbial cultures, sourced from the Pakmaya
Wastewater Treatment Plant, with varying initial Diuron concentrations (0.023
mg/L to 0.160 mg/L). The results demonstrated that Diuron exerts significant
inhibitory effects on microbial activity, particularly at concentrations above
0.096 mg/L. For non-adapted cultures, degradation efficiencies ranged from
12.9% to 57.1%. In contrast, the adapted cultures showed enhanced
biodegradation, achieving efficiencies between 39.2% and 72.4%. Kinetic
parameters, derived from substrate inhibition models, revealed a biodegradation
rate constant (k) of 0.7598 µg-Diuron/gX.h for the adapted culture and 0.0594
µg-Diuron/gX.h for the non-adapted culture.
The study concludes that while
Diuron poses significant challenges for microbial degradation due to its toxic
effects, the use of adapted microbial cultures significantly improves the
degradation process. These findings suggest that adapted microbial cultures could
be an effective approach for removing Diuron and similar persistent pollutants
from wastewater in active sludge systems.