

Pharmaceuticals
Since the 1990s, Woxford has applied our high-performance anaerobic bioreactor technology to challenging wastewater treatment projects in the pharmaceutical industry. After improvements and enhancements to our GX/HP-advanced anaerobic bioreactor technology spanning 20 years, it now offers not only complete treatment solutions for highly concentrated organic wastewater in large daily production volumes, but also advanced features in enhanced degradation of recalcitrant organic pollutants, and greater buffer capability to inhibitory and toxic compounds, such as antibiotics.
See below for more details of key projects employing Woxford's biological wastewater treatment systems.
Key Clients and Projects
The world's largest antibiotic manufacturer: NCPC

North China Pharmaceutical Group Corp. AKA NCPC
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A key national project of China's First Five-Year Plan, aided by the Soviet Union
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The largest pharmaceutical company in China
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The world's largest manufacturer of antibiotics
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The world's largest manufacturer of pharmaceutical intermediates.

In 1995, four full-scale I-GX/HP-Anaerobic Bioreactors (1st-Gen) were installed at NCPC for the disposal of pharmaceutical wastewater.
Flow rate: 2,000 m /day
Influent COD: 10,000mg/L
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Over 90% Removed
HRT: 24h
Since 1999, Woxford's advanced anaerobic bioreactor technology has been employed in the disposal of antibiotic wastewater and at the core of complete and cost-effective solutions. To date, it has been widely employed in the disposal of effluents produced in the manufacturing of avermectin/abamectin, gentamicin, neomycin sulphate and drug intermediates.

Avermectin/Abamectin
Wastewater Treatment
Since the 1990s, Woxford’s advanced anaerobic technology, with superior treatment efficiency and buffer capabilities on toxic and other inhibitory effects, has provided a complete solution for the disposal of avermectin/abamectin wastewater.

Gentamicin
Wastewater Treatment
The first full-scale application of Woxford's wastewater treatment technologies in the disposal of gentamicin effluents was installed in 2006. Three second-generation advanced anaerobic bioreactors, they achieved a treatment efficiency of over 12kgCOD/m3*d and hydraulic retention time of less than 24 hours.

Neomycin sulphate
Wastewater Treatment
Neomycin sulphate is an antibiotic used to reduce the risk of infection during surgery and to reduce the symptoms of hepatic coma. However, its production produces large amounts of highly concentrated organic wastewater at extremely high sulphate levels. By combining expertise in both the anaerobic bioreactor and high-loading biogas desulphurisation, Woxford has successfully installed a complete solution for the industry.

Streptomycin & Oxytetracycline
Wastewater Treatment
Advanced biological wastewater treatment technologies have also been successfully applied in the disposal of streptomycin and oxytetracycline wastewater in full-scale projects. Our excellent track record in the disposal of antibiotic wastewater makes Woxford the No.1 brand in the industry, particularly because these applications demonstrate the high performance of Woxford's advanced anaerobic bioreactor in challenging cases with strong inhibitors.

Drug intermediates
Wastewater Treatment
The manufacture of bulk drug intermediates is the cornerstone of modern pharmaceutical industry, however it produces highly concentrated organic wastewater with complex compositions at low biodegradability, high salinity, and toxic matters. Woxford's biological wastewater treatment technologies were designed for such challenging applications, and they play a key role in efficient and cost-effective solutions in the sustainable disposal of effluents produced by the manufacture of bulk drug intermediates.