Inhibition of staphylococci and S. aureus in wastewater by ferrates and electrochemical methods

Abstract Increasing concentration of antibiotics in environment and their subinhibitory concentrations in wastewater may result in increased antibiotic resistance of present bacteria. Therefore, this study was aimed to analyze the efficiency of coagulase-positive staphylococci and Staphylococcus aureus inhibition in wastewater by electrochemical methods and addition of ferrates. Advanced electrochemical oxidation by boron doped diamond electrodes in anode; cathode and anode-cathode connection were used for wastewater disinfection. Results showed that the most effective connection was the anodic one, as complete inhibition of coagulase-positive staphylococci as well as of S. aureus was observed after 40 min. Energy consumption was 3.69 kWh/m3 for effluent wastewater disinfection. The second studied method of wastewater disinfection was the application of powdered ferrates. Addition of 100 mg of ferrates resulted in the inhibition of 84—96 % of coagulase-positive staphylococci and 97—99 % of S. aureus in influent water, while the inhibition of coagulase-positive staphylococci and S. aureus was 61—83 % and 83—86 %, respectively, in effluent wastewater.