O(3) and O(3)/H(2)O(2) treatment of sulfonamide and macrolide antibiotics in wastewater.
The ubiquitous presence of trace pharmaceutical compounds in the environment is a significant concern. While the implications of these compounds on ecosystems and human health are being determined, there has been increasing interest in their treatment such as by tertiary processes at sources and wastewater treatment facilities to arrest further release to the environment. We have examined the degradation of sulfonamide and macrolide antibiotics in a spiked water and a pharmaceutical wastewater by ozonation under varied conditions such as concentration, contact time, pH, and H(2)O(2)/O(3) mole ratio. The results show faster removal kinetics for sulfonamides containing the aromatic ring than for macrolides built of mostly saturated hydrocarbon structure, and that complete removal of all is achieved within 20 min of ozonation at the application rate of 0.17 g O(3)/min. Degradation of contaminants containing unsaturated C-C bonds occurs faster at low pH, consistent with O(3) being the predominant oxidant and its aqueous concentration being higher at low pH. Degradation of erythromycin having a fully saturated structure is slower and more effective at higher pH or with added H(2)O(2), both consistent with the enhanced production of OH radical under such conditions that contributes to removal of the saturated compound. Low pH favors degradation via molecular O(3) while high pH via OH radical; the optimal pH thus depends on target compounds being treated, and buffered pH at 7 facilitates removal of all tested compounds. The addition of H(2)O(2) to ozonation abets contaminant removal, and at mole ratio of H(2)O(2)/O(3)=5 it attains the highest degradation speed for all contaminants. However, a large excess of added H(2)O(2) results in reduced or no benefits relative to O(3) alone. Thus, only a small dose of H(2)O(2) is desirable when widely disparate compounds are treated by ozonation.
Lin
Angela Yu-Chen
AY
Graduate Institute of Environmental Engineering, National Taiwan University, Taipei 106, Taiwan.
Lin
Cheng-Fang
CF
Chiou
Jia-Ming
JM
Hong
P K Andy
PK
D000890:Anti-Infective Agents / Q000032:analysis*; D004867:Equipment Design; D006861:Hydrogen Peroxide / Q000737:chemistry*; D006863:Hydrogen-Ion Concentration; D007700:Kinetics; D018942:Macrolides / Q000032:analysis*; D008956:Models, Chemical; D010100:Oxygen / Q000737:chemistry*; D010126:Ozone / Q000737:chemistry*; D013449:Sulfonamides / Q000032:analysis*; D014865:Waste Disposal, Fluid / Q000379:methods*; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical / Q000032:analysis / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D018508:Water Purification / Q000379:methods*
D000890:Anti-Infective Agents; D018942:Macrolides; D013449:Sulfonamides; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical; D010126:Ozone; D006861:Hydrogen Peroxide; D010100:Oxygen