Membrane BioReactor for Pharmaceutical WWTP

Facts & Figures

Location: Savski-Marof, Croatia

Wastewater Source: Active Pharmaceutical Ingredients (API)  

Daily Flow Rate: 1,200 m³/day

COD Load: 6,600 kg/day

Total Nitrogen Load: 960 kg/day

Effluent Discharge: Municipality

Contract type: Pilot study + Turnkey + Consultancy

Completion Date: 2014

Pliva is a major API manufacturing plant in Croatia. The wastewater generated in the plant is characterized by high loads of COD, organic nitrogen, ammonia nitrogen and low concentrations of antibiotic substances.

EPT has been contracted to design and construct an MBR wastewater treatment plant to remove the abovementioned pollutants to conform to the local municipality discharge regulations. The plant configuration includes: pre-treatment, two parallel treatment lines, each includes equalization tank and biological reactors followed by submerged hollow fibers ultra-filtration membranes. The plant also includes sludge and off-gas treatment systems. This process was tested in an on-site pilot plant study to approve the design.

The plant set-up has successfully accomplished with removal of 90% COD and 99% total nitrogen, complying with the local regulations.