A Systematic Review of Heterogeneous Catalysis Applied to the Treatment of Pharmaceutical Wastewater: Operational Conditions and Statistical Analysis Raqueline Caldas do Nascimento, Arthur Cahino, Larissa Granjeiro Lucena, Inalmar D. Barbosa Segundo, Jonathan Cawettiere Espíndola, et al. Photochem, 2024 The use of heterogeneous photocatalysis has garnered significant attention, mainly due to its remarkable efficacy in degrading recalcitrant compounds. The main objective of this research was to investigate this process applied to pharmaceutical treatment. For that, an analysis of a Final Bibliographic Portfolio (FBP), using the systematic review of the PRISMA and the ProKnow-C method, and a meta-analysis study in a historical series from 2010 to 2020, were performed for scientific works published in indexed journals from the Scopus and Web of Science databases and fully available in English. The works were filtered after a careful reading of the titles, followed by the exclusion of repeated documents and those that were not aligned with the research from 3498 articles, 40 of which were chosen to compose the FBP that addressed the classes of antibiotics, antihypertensives, analgesics, and anti-inflammatory drugs after scientific recognition and exclusion due to not fitting into one of the four FBP structured stages: (1) identification, (2) triage, (3) eligibility, and (4) inclusion. The following gaps were highlighted: (i) a limited number of studies working with interactions of the interfering variables; (ii) a large number of experiments not considering the natural constituents of wastewater; (iii) the use of drug concentrations high above the values found in aquatic matrices; (iv) little applicability of the process at the real scale. In this meta-analysis study, operational parameter optimization was fundamental to guarantee degradation efficiencies above 80% with a variety of pharmaceutical pollutants, the main representatives studied of which were tetracycline, nimesulide, diclofenac, ibuprofen, and atenolol. However, there is still a need to determine the best conditions for this technique when using real effluents, which have the utmost importance for the process on a large scale.
Evaluation of the Pathway of Contaminants in the Environment: A Case Study of Different Aquatic Environmental Compartments Jonathan Cawettiere Espíndola, Nazareno Scaccia, Inalmar Barbosa Segundo, Davi da Silva Diniz, José Uelton Diniz, et al. Sustainability Switzerland, 2024 The occurrence of contaminants of emerging concern (CECs) in several environmental compartments has raised significant concern given the extensive array of compounds and their consistent detection across various environmental matrices. Monitoring all potentially harmful compounds and identifying their sources is nearly impossible. However, providing data on their occurrence is crucial and lays the groundwork for decision makers to craft mitigation strategies toward a more sustainable water policy. Hence, the primary aim of this study was to conduct an evaluation study on CECs occurrence in the environment. The main novelty relies on understanding their specific pathway in three different environmental aquatic compartments. For that, a combined study of a systematic review and systemic analysis was performed. Initially, the five most common types of CECs found in aquatic ecosystems (groundwater and surface water) and wastewater were considered. For each group of CECs, five contaminants were identified. A bibliographic portfolio was generated through the application of a systematic review. Finally, a systemic analysis of the bibliographic portfolio was conducted. All classes of contaminants studied were identified in the environmental compartments evaluated. Except for pesticides, the degree of contamination by CECs followed a sequence based on the aquatic compartment (i.e., WW–SW–GW).
A New Approach to the Development of Hollow Fiber Membrane Modules for Water Treatment: Mixed Polymer Matrices Dionísio da Silva Biron, Jonathan Cawettiere Espíndola, Eduardo Lucas Subtil, José Carlos Mierzwa Membranes, 2023 In this study, mixed matrix hollow fiber polymeric membranes were prepared using polyethersulfone (PES) and polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) as polymers in their composition. N-methyl-2-pyrrolidone (NMP) was used as a solvent and demineralized water with an electrical conductivity below 3 μS·cm−1 was used as a non-solvent. A new approach to producing enhanced polymeric hollow fiber membranes based on the preparation of a simple blend PVDF/PES solution, and on the conformation of the composite membranes through the extrusion technique followed by the phase inversion process in a non-solvent bath, was applied. The investigation focused on the preparation of polymeric membranes with different polymer ratios and further assessment of the effects of these proportions on the membrane performance and in specific physical properties. The amount of PVDF ranged from 10 to 90% with 10% steps. The presence of PVDF, although it increased the membranes’ plasticity, had a negative effect on the overall mechanical properties of the composite membranes. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) results showed good dispersion of both polymers in the polymeric matrix. Furthermore, the membrane permeability showed a slight negative correlation with contact angle, suggesting that membrane hydrophilicity played an important role in membrane permeability. Finally, it was found that membranes with low ratios of PVDF/PES may have potential for water treatment applications, due to the combined advantageous properties of PES and PVDF.
Water Reuse through Membrane Technologies for a Dairy Plant Using Water Pinch Simulation Software Jonathan Cawettiere Espíndola, José Carlos Mierzwa, Míriam Cristina Santos Amaral, Laura Hamdan De Andrade Sustainability Switzerland, 2023 The main goal of this study is to evaluate possible reuse routes of effluents from adairy plant. First, the water flow in the plant was evaluated. All water consumed and effluents generated by the industrial process were quantified and characterized. In addition, the water quality parameters required for different industrial activities were assessed. Secondly, a treatment system using a membrane bioreactor and a nanofiltration reactor, from a study previously conducted by the authors, was considered. Then, a water pinch analysis was carried out through the application of the collected data using the Water Pinch software. Both direct reuse/recycle and regeneration schemes were investigated. In this context, although the direct reuse/recycle of effluents were shown to be able to reduce the freshwater use for the clean-in-place process (CIP) by 33.4%; the schemes with the regeneration of the effluents showed up to 66.7% and 95.4% of freshwater reduction for the CIP and general processes, respectively. Finally, four water reuse routes were proposed. The proposed route combining the most advanced treatment technologies studied showed the best performance in terms of reduction of the total freshwater consumption (69.5%) in the dairy plant.
Insights of bacterial community structure and occurrence of antibiotic resistance and antimicrobial compounds in an urban stream in the megacity of São Paulo, Brazil N Scaccia, MTP Razzolini, GL de Aragão, JV da Silva Fonseca, ... The Brazilian Journal of Infectious Diseases 30 (3), 105818 , 2026 2026
Tailoring antifouling properties of hollow fiber membranes via controlled ZnO nanoparticle reinforcement for real water applications IDB Segundo, B Gabas, A Roudiere, GB de Oliveira, KC de Castro, ... Environmental Technology & Innovation 41, 104700 , 2026 2026 Citations: 1
Regional Mapping Of Lithium Content within Formation Water and Produced Water in Onshore & Offshore Brazil J Espindola, I Segundo, B Fukasawa, R Alfaro, JC Mierzwa 86th EAGE Annual Conference & Exhibition 2025 (1), 1-5 , 2025 2025
Performance comparison of modified polyethersulfone membrane with graphene oxide and molybdenum disulfide for effective filtration of urban surface water RA Ragio, HG Lemos, GN Leocadio, JC Mierzwa, D Biron, JCA Espíndola, ... Separation and Purification Technology 356, 130001 , 2025 2025 Citations: 10
A Systematic Review of Heterogeneous Catalysis Applied to the Treatment of Pharmaceutical Wastewater: Operational Conditions and Statistical Analysis RC Nascimento, A Cahino, LG Lucena, ID Barbosa Segundo, ... Photochem 4 (3), 285-301 , 2024 2024
Evaluation of the pathway of contaminants in the environment: a case study of different aquatic environmental compartments JC Espíndola, N Scaccia, I Barbosa Segundo, DS Diniz, JU Diniz, ... Sustainability 16 (10), 3927 , 2024 2024 Citations: 20
A Systematic Review of Heterogeneous Catalysis Applied to the Treatment of Pharmaceutical Wastewater: Operational Conditions and Statistical Analysis RC do Nascimento, A Cahino, LG Lucena, IDB Segundo, JC Espindola, ... Photochem 4 (3), 17 , 2024 2024
A new approach to the development of hollow fiber membrane modules for water treatment: mixed polymer matrices D da Silva Biron, JC Espindola, EL Subtil, JC Mierzwa Membranes 13 (7), 613 , 2023 2023 Citations: 13
Water Reuse through Membrane Technologies for a Dairy Plant Using Water Pinch Simulation Software JC Espíndola, JC Mierzwa, MCS Amaral, LH De Andrade Sustainability 15 (3), 2540 , 2023 2023 Citations: 9
Water Reuse through Membrane Technologies for a Dairy Plant Using Water Pinch Simulation Software. Sustainability 2023, 15, 2540 JC Espíndola, JC Mierzwa, MCS Amaral, LH De Andrade 2023
Reúso de água em uma indústria de laticínios utilizando o software de simulação water pinch JCA Espíndola, JC Mierzwa, MCS Amaral, LH Andrade Saneamento ambiental: desafios para a universalização e a sustentabilidade-anais , 2023 2023
Gatifloxacin photocatalytic degradation in different water matrices: Antimicrobial activity and acute toxicity reduction M Caianelo, JC Espindola, V Diniz, M Spina, C Rodrigues-Silva, ... Journal of Photochemistry and Photobiology A: Chemistry 430, 113973 , 2022 2022 Citations: 19
Paracetamol degradation by photo-assisted activation of peroxymonosulfate over ZnxNi1− xFe2O4@ BiOBr heterojunctions Y Shen, MJM de Vidales, JC Espindola, A Gomez-Herrero, ... Journal of Environmental Chemical Engineering 9 (6), 106797 , 2021 2021 Citations: 31
ZnO Polymeric Composite Films for n -Decane Removal from Air Streams in a Continuous Flow NETmix Photoreactor under UVA Light CD Zanrosso, SM Miranda, B M. da Costa Filho, JC Espindola, D Piazza, ... Nanomaterials 11 (8), 1983 , 2021 2021 Citations: 3
Trace organic contaminants removal from municipal wastewater using the FluHelik reactor: From laboratory-scale to pre-pilot scale JC Espindola, M Caianelo, N Scaccia, C Rodrigues-Silva, JR Guimaraes, ... Journal of Environmental Chemical Engineering 9 (2), 105060 , 2021 2021 Citations: 16
Innovative light-driven chemical/catalytic reactors towards contaminants of emerging concern mitigation: A review JC Espíndola, VJP Vilar Chemical Engineering Journal 394, 124865 , 2020 2020 Citations: 85
Comparison of Photocatalytic Membrane Reactor Types for the Degradation of an Organic Molecule by TiO 2 -Coated PES Membrane C Regmi, S Lotfi, JC Espíndola, K Fischer, A Schulze, AI Schäfer Catalysts 10 (7), 725 , 2020 2020 Citations: 41
Photocatalytic membrane reactor performance towards oxytetracycline removal from synthetic and real matrices: Suspended vs immobilized TiO2-P25 JC Espíndola, RO Cristóvão, A Mendes, RAR Boaventura, VJP Vilar Chemical Engineering Journal 378, 122114 , 2019 2019 Citations: 123
Intensification of heterogeneous TiO2 photocatalysis using the NETmix mili-photoreactor under microscale illumination for oxytetracycline oxidation JC Espíndola, RO Cristóvão, SGS Santos, RAR Boaventura, MM Dias, ... Science of the Total Environment 681, 467-474 , 2019 2019 Citations: 60
An innovative photoreactor, FluHelik, to promote UVC/H2O2 photochemical reactions: Tertiary treatment of an urban wastewater JC Espíndola, RO Cristóvão, SRF Araújo, T Neuparth, MM Santos, ... Science of The Total Environment 667, 197-207 , 2019 2019 Citations: 39
MOST CITED SCHOLAR PUBLICATIONS
Nanofiltration as tertiary treatment for the reuse of dairy wastewater treated by membrane bioreactor LH Andrade, FDS Mendes, JC Espindola, MCS Amaral Separation and Purification Technology 126, 21-29 , 2014 2014 Citations: 191
Photocatalytic membrane reactor performance towards oxytetracycline removal from synthetic and real matrices: Suspended vs immobilized TiO2-P25 JC Espíndola, RO Cristóvão, A Mendes, RAR Boaventura, VJP Vilar Chemical Engineering Journal 378, 122114 , 2019 2019 Citations: 123
A step forward in heterogeneous photocatalysis: Process intensification by using a static mixer as catalyst support AM Diez, FC Moreira, BA Marinho, JCA Espindola, LO Paulista, ... Chemical Engineering Journal 343, 597-606 , 2018 2018 Citations: 90
Innovative light-driven chemical/catalytic reactors towards contaminants of emerging concern mitigation: A review JC Espíndola, VJP Vilar Chemical Engineering Journal 394, 124865 , 2020 2020 Citations: 85
Reuse of dairy wastewater treated by membrane bioreactor and nanofiltration: technical and economic feasibility LH Andrade, FDS Mendes, JC Espindola, MCS Amaral Brazilian Journal of Chemical Engineering 32 (3), 735-747 , 2015 2015 Citations: 67
Intensification of heterogeneous TiO2 photocatalysis using the NETmix mili-photoreactor under microscale illumination for oxytetracycline oxidation JC Espíndola, RO Cristóvão, SGS Santos, RAR Boaventura, MM Dias, ... Science of the Total Environment 681, 467-474 , 2019 2019 Citations: 60
Performance of hybrid systems coupling advanced oxidation processes and ultrafiltration for oxytetracycline removal JC Espíndola, K Szymański, RO Cristóvão, A Mendes, VJP Vilar, S Mozia Catalysis Today 328, 274-280 , 2019 2019 Citations: 51
Comparison of Photocatalytic Membrane Reactor Types for the Degradation of an Organic Molecule by TiO 2 -Coated PES Membrane C Regmi, S Lotfi, JC Espíndola, K Fischer, A Schulze, AI Schäfer Catalysts 10 (7), 725 , 2020 2020 Citations: 41
An innovative photoreactor, FluHelik, to promote UVC/H2O2 photochemical reactions: Tertiary treatment of an urban wastewater JC Espíndola, RO Cristóvão, SRF Araújo, T Neuparth, MM Santos, ... Science of The Total Environment 667, 197-207 , 2019 2019 Citations: 39
Paracetamol degradation by photo-assisted activation of peroxymonosulfate over ZnxNi1− xFe2O4@ BiOBr heterojunctions Y Shen, MJM de Vidales, JC Espindola, A Gomez-Herrero, ... Journal of Environmental Chemical Engineering 9 (6), 106797 , 2021 2021 Citations: 31
Internal versus external submerged membrane bioreactor configurations for dairy wastewater treatment LH Andrade, FDS Mendes, JC Espindola, MCS Amaral Desalination and Water Treatment 52 (16-18), 2920-2932 , 2014 2014 Citations: 29
Overcoming limitations in photochemical UVC/H2O2 systems using a mili-photoreactor (NETmix): Oxytetracycline oxidation JC Espíndola, RO Cristóvão, DA Mayer, RAR Boaventura, MM Dias, ... Science of the Total Environment 660, 982-992 , 2019 2019 Citations: 22
Evaluation of the pathway of contaminants in the environment: a case study of different aquatic environmental compartments JC Espíndola, N Scaccia, I Barbosa Segundo, DS Diniz, JU Diniz, ... Sustainability 16 (10), 3927 , 2024 2024 Citations: 20
Gatifloxacin photocatalytic degradation in different water matrices: Antimicrobial activity and acute toxicity reduction M Caianelo, JC Espindola, V Diniz, M Spina, C Rodrigues-Silva, ... Journal of Photochemistry and Photobiology A: Chemistry 430, 113973 , 2022 2022 Citations: 19
Trace organic contaminants removal from municipal wastewater using the FluHelik reactor: From laboratory-scale to pre-pilot scale JC Espindola, M Caianelo, N Scaccia, C Rodrigues-Silva, JR Guimaraes, ... Journal of Environmental Chemical Engineering 9 (2), 105060 , 2021 2021 Citations: 16
A new approach to the development of hollow fiber membrane modules for water treatment: mixed polymer matrices D da Silva Biron, JC Espindola, EL Subtil, JC Mierzwa Membranes 13 (7), 613 , 2023 2023 Citations: 13
Performance comparison of modified polyethersulfone membrane with graphene oxide and molybdenum disulfide for effective filtration of urban surface water RA Ragio, HG Lemos, GN Leocadio, JC Mierzwa, D Biron, JCA Espíndola, ... Separation and Purification Technology 356, 130001 , 2025 2025 Citations: 10
Water Reuse through Membrane Technologies for a Dairy Plant Using Water Pinch Simulation Software JC Espíndola, JC Mierzwa, MCS Amaral, LH De Andrade Sustainability 15 (3), 2540 , 2023 2023 Citations: 9
Nanofiltration as a Post-Treatmento to Membrane Bioreactor Effluent for Dairy Wastewater Reuse LH Andrade, FDS Mendes, JC Espíndola, MA Herculano, MCS Amaral, ... Procedia Engineering 44, 1956-1960 , 2012 2012 Citations: 6
Fouling evaluation in a MBR for dairy effluent treatment LH de Andrade, FD de Souza Mendes, N Cerqueira, JC Espindola, ... Desalination and Water Treatment 57 (26), 11919-11930 , 2016 2016 Citations: 5
