Large-scale enzymatic membrane reactors for tetracycline degradation in WWTP effluents

• Model to simulate large-scale enzymatic membrane reactors (EMRs).
• EMRs in series for tetracycline degradation in WWTP effluents.
• Enhanced enzyme characteristics needed for more competitive results.

A mathematical model to simulate the performance of enzymatic membrane reactors was developed. It was applied to investigate the effectiveness of laccase immobilized over ceramic membranes for the degradation of tetracycline, a common antibiotic appearing as micropollutant in effluents of WWTPs. A process based on large-scale enzymatic membrane reactors in series was proposed for the treatment of the effluents from municipal, hospital and industrial wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs). The obtained results demonstrated the need for high improvements in the amount of enzyme grafted on the membranes or on enzymatic kinetics to afford the technical and economic competitiveness of the investigated designs and the possibility to be implemented within existing installations.