title: Zerovalent iron and iron(VI): Effective means for the removal of psychoactive pharmaceuticals and illicit drugs from wastewaters.
abstract: Herein we report the analysis of 27 selected psychoactive compounds found in the wastewater of the largest suburb in the eastern part of Central Europe Bratislava—Petržalka, Slovakia. Thirteen of them (MDMA, methamphetamine, amphetamine, THC-COOH, benzoylecgonine, codeine, tramadol, venlafaxine, oxazepam, citalopram, methadone, EDDP, cocaine) were found in concentrations above 30 ng/L. These compoundswere selected for further monitoring. The possibility of complete degradation of these 13 substances by zerovalent iron and iron(VI) was studied in thewastewater from the Petržalka treatment plant. During the week the concentration of themajority of the studied compounds inwastewaterwas stable. Concentrations of MDMA, cocaine, tramadol, and oxazepam reached significantly higher levels during the weekend.Only about 10% removal efficiency for tramadol, venlafaxine, oxazepam, MDMA, citalopram, methadone, and EDDP was observed at the treatment plant. In contrast, methamphetamine, amphetamine, and codeine were removed with 68%, 83%, and 53% efficiency, respectively. The degradation of synthetic drugs (methamphetamine, cocaine, MDMA) in wastewater is limited, while cannabis (of natural biological origin) is degradedwith efficiency greater than 90%. After utilization of the Fenton reaction, its modification, and use of ferrate(VI), a high efficiency of eliminating all of these substances to values below the limit of detection was achieved.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Chemical and Environmental Engineering, Faculty of Chemical and Food Technology, Slovak University of Technology, Radlinského 9, 812 37 Bratislava, Slovakia. Electronic address: mackulakt@azet.sk.
authors.forename: Tomáš
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Mackuľak
authors.affiliation: Institute of Biochemistry, Nutrition and Health Protection, Faculty of Chemical and Food Technology, Slovak University of Technology, Radlinského 9, 812 37 Bratislava, Slovakia.
authors.forename: Lucia
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Birošová
authors.affiliation: Institute of Chemical and Environmental Engineering, Faculty of Chemical and Food Technology, Slovak University of Technology, Radlinského 9, 812 37 Bratislava, Slovakia.
authors.forename: Igor
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Bodík
authors.affiliation: University of South Bohemia in Ceske Budejovice, Faculty of Fisheries and Protection of Waters, South Bohemian Research Center of Aquaculture and Biodiversity of Hydrocenoses, Zatisi 728/II, 389 01 Vodnany, Czech Republic.
authors.forename: Roman
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Grabic
authors.affiliation: Institute of Chemical and Environmental Engineering, Faculty of Chemical and Food Technology, Slovak University of Technology, Radlinského 9, 812 37 Bratislava, Slovakia.
authors.forename: Alžbeta
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Takáčová
authors.affiliation: Department of Microbiology and Virology, Faculty of Natural Sciences, Comenius University in Bratislava, Mlynská dolina B-2, 842 15 Bratislava, Slovakia.
authors.forename: Miroslava
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Smolinská
authors.affiliation: Department of Sanitary and Environmental Engineering, Faculty of Civil Engineering, Slovak University of Technology, Radlinskeho 11, 810 05 Bratislava, Slovakia.
authors.forename: Anna
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Hanusová
authors.affiliation: Department of Inorganic Technology, Faculty of Chemical and Food Technology, Slovak University of Technology, Radlinského 9, 812 37 Bratislava, Slovakia.
authors.forename: Ján
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Híveš
authors.affiliation: Department of Inorganic Technology, Faculty of Chemical and Food Technology, Slovak University of Technology, Radlinského 9, 812 37 Bratislava, Slovakia.
authors.forename: Miroslav
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Gál
mesh_terms: D004784:Environmental Monitoring; D013287:Illicit Drugs / Q000032:analysis* / Q000737:chemistry; D007501:Iron / Q000737:chemistry*; D018154:Slovakia; D014865:Waste Disposal, Fluid / Q000379:methods*; D062065:Wastewater / Q000737:chemistry; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical / Q000032:analysis* / Q000737:chemistry; D018508:Water Purification / Q000379:methods*
chemical_list: D013287:Illicit Drugs; D007501:Iron; D062065:Wastewater; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical; C017311:ferrate ion
keywords: Degradation; Fenton-like treatment; Ferrate(VI); Illicit drugs; Psychoactive pharmaceuticals; Wastewater