The Toxicological Effects and Removal Characterization of Carbamazepine Using Chlorella vulgaris in Aqueous Media

Carbamazepine, as one of the pharmaceutical and personal care products, is highly persistent in aquatic environments. This study investigated the effects of carbamazepine on the physiology and photosynthetic characteristics of Chlorella vulgaris , and the removal of carbamazepine by C. vulgaris was evaluated. The results showed that the growth and the photosynthesis activity of C. vulgaris decreased with the increase in carbamazepine concentration, while superoxide dismutase and catalase activities were markedly promoted. It was also revealed that C. vulgaris could result in efficient removal of carbamazepine with a concentration of 40 mg/L. The removal efficiency reached 79.16 ± 3.98% after 8-day exposure. Pathway analysis revealed that 77.05 ± 3.91% of carbamazepine was removed by biodegradation, and bioaccumulation and biosorption contributed only 1.47 ± 0.14% and 0.37 ± 0.06%, respectively. The research implied that biodegradation by C. vulgaris might be an efficient method to treat carbamazepine-contaminated water. Graphical abstract