Removal of benzotriazoles from domestic wastewater using <scp> <i>Pleurotus ostreatus</i> </scp> fungal pellets

Abstract Benzotriazoles are a group of persistent and mobile substances commonly found in aquatic environments due to inefficient treatment in conventional sewage treatment plants. Hence, it is crucial to explore alternative technologies for their degradation to avoid their adverse effects on the environment and human health. The potential removal capability of four benzotriazoles and one benzothiazole (1H‐benzotriazole, BTR; 4‐methyl‐1H‐benzotriazole, 4TTR; 5‐methyl‐1H‐benzotriazole, 5TTR; 5‐chlorobenzotriazole, CBTR; xylytriazole, XTR; and 2‐Hydroxybenzothiazole, OH‐BTH) from domestic wastewater was investigated using the white‐rot fungus Pleurotus ostreatus in pellet form. The study was conducted in bioreactors operated in repeated batch cycles mode. The results showed that the fungal pellet reactor achieved a higher removal rate for CBTR (70% ± 17%) compared to the control (62% ± 16%). Furthermore, the removal rate for the other compounds (BTR, 5‐TTR, OH‐BTH) ranged from 17% to 19%, whereas the control reactor exhibited no removal for these compounds. Overall, these findings indicate the potential of fungal pellet reactors for the removal of benzotriazoles and benzothiazole from domestic wastewater.