Efficient reduction of pharmaceuticals, personal care products, and antibiotic resistance genes alongside bacterial community dynamics in pilot scale anoxic oxic moving bed biofilm reactor

Abstract: The prevalence of pharmaceuticals and personal care products and antibiotic resistance genes in the environment threatens ecological stability and public health. In this study, we constructed a pilot-scale three-stage anoxic oxic moving-bed biofilm reactor to treat municipal wastewater, and the system performance was assessed in terms of PPCP distribution and removal efficiency, corresponding coordinated ARG variations, and microbial structural dynamics. The results showed that the contaminants were predominantly partitioned into the aqueous phase, whereas minor fractions were partitioned in biofilms and suspended solids. Significant PPCP, ARG removal occurred with robust stability during thermal shifts, primarily in aerobic compartments. Temperature fluctuations drove bacterial community restructuring, with 41 genera exhibiting significant differences. The A/O-MBBR achieved synchronous PPCP, ARG control via bacterial abundance-mediated partitioning, thus, providing a theoretical basis for contaminant mitigation while controlling resistance dissemination risks under variable temperatures.