A review of the migration mechanism of antibiotics during struvite recovery from wastewater

Struvite precipitation and reuse from phosphorus-rich wastewater are cost-effective measures to improve phosphorus utilization efficiency and decrease its negative environmental impact. However, the presence of antibiotics may accumulate in recovered struvite, making it ecologically unsafe by spreading antibiotic resistance genes. In this review, the effects of antibiotics on struvite precipitation, and their participating mechanisms were investigated. The effects of pH, dissolved organic matter, and suspended solids were discussed and possible antibiotics minimization solutions were critically analyzed. It is concluded that antibiotic residue in struvite from real streams is more sensitive to pH change than synthetic wastewater, while dissolved organic matter promotes its accumulation. Among these influencing factors analyzed, dissolved organic matter and ionic composition show a larger influence on the transport of antibiotics into struvite, followed by pH and initial concentration of antibiotics. It is also highlighted that more efficient technology for antibiotics minimization during struvite formation should be developed to make the recovered struvite commercially available from the ecological safety perspective.

Automated summary

Struvite precipitation and reuse from phosphorus-rich wastewater is a cost-effective measure to improve phosphorus utilization efficiency and decrease environmental impact. However, the presence of antibiotics in recovered struvite can spread antibiotic resistance genes, making it ecologically unsafe. This review investigates the effects of antibiotics on struvite precipitation, discussing pH, dissolved organic matter, and suspended solids, and analyzing possible solutions for minimizing antibiotics. It concludes that pH change and dissolved organic matter have a significant influence on antibiotic residue in struvite, and calls for the development of more efficient technology to ensure the ecological safety of recovered struvite.