--- title: "Pharmaceutical Process Water Management: Strategies for API Reduction and Wastewater Reuse" description: Learn how Veolia Water Technologies uses innovative MBBR systems to reduce APIs and treat pharmaceutical wastewater sustainably. 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[Pharmaceutics & Cosmetics](https://blog.veoliawatertechnologies.nl/?tid=284516567233) - [Wastewater treatment](https://blog.veoliawatertechnologies.nl/?tid=284516569289) # Pharmaceutical Process Water Management: Strategies for API Reduction and Wastewater Reuse ![Admin](https://blog.veoliawatertechnologies.nl/hubfs/raw_assets/public/vwt-uk/images/avatar-icon.png) by Admin 15 October 2025 2 minutes read [![Reset](https://blog.veoliawatertechnologies.nl/hubfs/raw_assets/public/vwt-uk/images/back-arrow-icon.svg) Back](https://blog.veoliawatertechnologies.nl) Follow Connect with us ## **How to Reduce APIs and Reuse Wastewater in Pharmaceutical Industrial Processes** ### **The Goals of HSE Managers for Industrial Wastewater Treatment Plants** Downstream from the **pharmaceutical industry**, wastewater increasingly needs to be treated to meet discharge limits into surface water bodies. These effluents often contain organic compounds - such as **COD, nitrogen, phosphorus** - and within the COD, also residual organic molecules from **APIs** (Active Pharmaceutical Ingredients). ![Tabella NCF](https://blog.veoliawatertechnologies.nl/hs-fs/hubfs/VWT%20ITALY/Blog%20VWT%20Italy/Tabella%20NCF.png?width=2000&height=842&name=Tabella%20NCF.png) Since the first pharma MBBR plant in 1997, [**Veolia’s AnoxKaldnes biological technologies**](https://www.veoliawatertechnologies.nl/nl/technologies/anoxkaldnes-mbbr) have evolved far beyond traditional suspended growth activated sludge systems. We’re talking about **MBBR (Moving Bed Biofilm Reactor) - a system using biomass attached to mobile carriers** that are mixed within a biological tank. It’s a **compact** solution, ideal for sites with limited space. MBBR is **suitable for APIs that are moderately or poorly biodegradable.** There are also many upgrades of existing plants using CAS (Conventional Activated Sludge), which have been retrofitted with MBBR sections to improve their efficiency. **Biological treatment** refers to using **microorganisms** instead of chemical agents - a more sustainable approach, aligned with BAT (Best Available Techniques), for treating biodegradable substances. In some pharmaceutical plants, **MBBR eXeno™ technology** **(Ozone + MBBR)** has been applied as a final **polishing stage to reduce effluent toxicity.** **Case Study: MBBR at Grindeks for Meldonium Treatment** The effluent flow of 200–500 m³/day is very complex in terms of COD (2000–7000 mg/l), nitrogen (100–200 mg/l), total phosphorus (8 mg/l), TSS (50 mg/l), and pH (4–10). In every new project, the first step involves **analysing composite samples** collected on-site and filtered at 1.6 μm. Sampling frequency depends on the production batch schedule - e.g., two samples per week over four weeks. Then, in our laboratories, we built a scaled **MBBR pilot plant** and ran it for two months. After successful testing, the full-scale plant is built. In Grindeks, the plant consists of five MBBR sections in series to remove COD, nitrogen, phosphorus and phenols - a full setup for nitrification and denitrification. In standard biological treatment systems, all aerobic tanks with suspended biomass use the same type of microorganisms. However, **with MBBR compartments, bacteria specialise in removing specific types of contaminants.** The first section removes readily biodegradable COD, followed by sections that target more persistent COD. Many other moderately biodegradable compounds have also been effectively treated: \- Ketoprofen (75% removal with MBBR, only 10% with CAS) - Gemfibrozil (73% MBBR, 15% CAS) For poorly biodegradable compounds: - Clofibric Acid (25% MBBR, 8% CAS) \- Diclofenac (22% MBBR, 4% CAS) [**Veolia Water Technologies**](https://www.veoliawatertechnologies.nl/nl) complements its pharmaceutical wastewater treatment expertise with technologies for low-boiling compounds and antibiotics (e.g., Clindamycin, Gabapentin) **using** [**Evaled technology**](https://www.veoliawatertechnologies.nl/nl/technologies/evaled)**.** For hydrocarbon solvent residues from synthesis processes, Veolia offers **MPPE (Macro Porous Polymer Extraction) technology**. **Download the White Paper on eXeno: The MBBR System for Treating Wastewater from Pharmaceutical Industries** **[![Download the white paper on eXeno™: the MBBR system for treating wastewater from pharmaceutical industries](https://hubspot-no-cache-eu1-prod.s3.amazonaws.com/cta/default/25605683/interactive-287230172376.png)](https://blog.veoliawatertechnologies.nl/hs/cta/wi/redirect?encryptedPayload=AVxigLJe0%2FLXpsQLB9GEu0T0a2NdZ85jl%2FXnjdtYLIs1U6UX%2BHPqotnjJJN7fvXhq1tEYkmk0dXAuxIlt%2F23%2BN4kWFiFNeXCBGY0V3eL6z7Yk7yj24SX4ZwKAwBo7jmlaTyanwe9%2BjArFC62sovAPwFobezQwyKlTsioEmpUyx1dnLtWtIk%2F1CJRraUK%2FjPMOHyh1ZDsST0MOAXgdcbsfdaYy387XmXMZa4i%2BUUq4b38rtelJXHoSAYGMqUAQ42D37zXqiCIlLedAuGjfL1zZhUQZ0TjmkHNK6VqddYLxA%3D%3D&webInteractiveContentId=287230172376&portalId=25605683&hsLang=en-nl)** ## Tags - [Pharmaceutics & Cosmetics](https://blog.veoliawatertechnologies.nl/?tid=284516567233) - [Wastewater treatment](https://blog.veoliawatertechnologies.nl/?tid=284516569289) ## Related articles ![Subscribe](https://blog.veoliawatertechnologies.nl/hubfs/vwt-uk/subscribe.jpg) ## Sign up to blog notifications Receive the latest blog updates. 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