Removal of pharmaceuticals through UV-C/Performic acid advanced oxidation process: Kinetics and identification of
Christelle Nabintu Kajoka1, Stephan Brosillon2, Corine Reibel3
1LEESU, ENPC, Institut Polytechnique de Paris, Univ Paris Est Creteil, Marne-la-Vallée, France.
Abstract:
Performic acid (PFA), widely recognized for its disinfectant properties in wastewater, shows selective and limited reactivity in oxidizing micropollutants. This study investigates the activation of PFA through UV-C photolysis to generate an advanced oxidation process (UV-C/PFA) and enhance the degradation of six pharmaceuticals: lidocaine, furosemide, sulfamethoxazole, diclofenac, acetaminophen, and carbamazepine. The synergy of UV-C photolysis with PFA enhances the removal of PFA-persistent pharmaceuticals. For instance, diclofenac, acetaminophen, and sulfamethoxazole, initially unreactive with PFA, were entirely degraded within ten minutes under UV-C/PFA in a phosphate buffer solution. This increased reactivity results from generated reactive species like hydroxyl (HO•), peroxyl (R-O•) radicals and singlet oxygen (1O2), confirmed by electron paramagnetic resonance, with HO• primarily originating from the background H2O2 present in the PFA solution. While UV-C/PFA produced fewer HO• than UV-C/H2O2, it has distinct advantages through the selective action of 1O2 and R-O• in degrading some pharmaceuticals. 1O2 was also detected in the PFA solution and could explain its selective reactivity, especially with compounds containing reduced sulfur or tertiary amine groups. Overall, UV-C/PFA yields transformation products of lower molar mass compared to PFA, thus potentially increasing mineralization. In wastewater effluent, UV-C/PFA improved pharmaceutical degradation, though scavenging effects by wastewater constituents reduced removal rates.
More Related Videos
08:23Analyzing the Photo-oxidation of 2-propanol at Indoor Air Level Concentrations Using Field Asymmetric Ion Mobility Spectrometry
Published on: June 14, 2018
08:30A Complete Method for Evaluating the Performance of Photocatalysts for the Degradation of Antibiotics in Environmental Remediation
Published on: October 6, 2022
Related Concept Videos
Phase I Oxidative Reactions: Overview
Phase I Reactions: Oxidation of Aliphatic and Aromatic Carbon-Containing Systems
Oxidation reactions are fundamental in aromatic carbon-containing systems. An example is the hydroxylation of phenobarbital, a process that transforms it into...
Drug Metabolism: Phase I Reactions
Radical Autoxidation
Phase I Reactions: Oxidation of Carbon-Heteroatom and Miscellaneous Systems
In carbon-nitrogen systems, aliphatic and aromatic amines can undergo oxidative reactions. Secondary and tertiary amines, like those found in tricyclic antidepressants, can undergo N-dealkylation, a process that involves the oxidation of the alkyl group. In addition, oxidative...
Drug Metabolism: Phase II Reactions
