title: Improving degradation of paracetamol by integrating gamma radiation and Fenton processes.
abstract: Degradation of paracetamol (N-(4-hydroxiphenyl)acetamide) in aqueous solution by gamma radiation, gamma radiation/H2O2 and gamma radiation/Fenton processes was studied. Parameters affecting the radiolysis of paracetamol such as radiation dose, initial concentration of pollutant, pH and initial oxidant concentration were investigated. Gamma radiation was performed using a (60)Co source irradiator. Paracetamol degradation and mineralization increased with increasing absorbed radiation dose, but decreased with increasing initial concentration of the drug in aqueous solution. The addition of H2O2 resulted in an increased effect on irradiation-driven paracetamol degradation in comparison with the performance of the irradiation-driven process alone: paracetamol removal increased from 48.9% in the absence of H2O2 to 95.2% for H2O2 concentration of 41.7 mmol/L. However, the best results were obtained with gamma radiation/Fenton process with 100% of the drug removal at 5 kGy, for optimal H2O2 and Fe(2+) concentrations at 13.9 and 2.3 mmol/L, respectively, with a high mineralization of 63.7%. These results suggest gamma radiation/H2O2 and gamma radiation/Fenton processes as promising methods for paracetamol degradation in polluted wastewaters.
authors.affiliation: a Higher Institute of Technologies and Applied Sciences , La Habana , Cuba.
authors.forename: Germán
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Cruz-González
authors.affiliation: a Higher Institute of Technologies and Applied Sciences , La Habana , Cuba.
authors.forename: Iram B
authors.initials: IB
authors.lastname: Rivas-Ortiz
authors.affiliation: b Higher Polytechnic Institute José A. Echevarría , La Habana , Cuba.
authors.forename: Katia
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: González-Labrada
authors.affiliation: c Center of Technological Applications and Nuclear Development , La Habana , Cuba.
authors.forename: Manuel
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Rapado-Paneque
authors.affiliation: c Center of Technological Applications and Nuclear Development , La Habana , Cuba.
authors.forename: Armando
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Chávez-Ardanza
authors.affiliation: d National Center of Medical Genetics , La Habana , Cuba.
authors.forename: Lauro
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Nuevas-Paz
authors.affiliation: a Higher Institute of Technologies and Applied Sciences , La Habana , Cuba.
authors.forename: Ulises J
authors.initials: UJ
authors.lastname: Jáuregui-Haza
mesh_terms: D000082:Acetaminophen / Q000737:chemistry*; D052918:Environmental Restoration and Remediation / Q000379:methods*; D005720:Gamma Rays; D006861:Hydrogen Peroxide / Q000737:chemistry*; D062065:Wastewater / Q000737:chemistry*; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical / Q000737:chemistry*
chemical_list: D000082:Acetaminophen; D006861:Hydrogen Peroxide; D062065:Wastewater; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical
keywords: Advanced oxidation processes; Fenton reaction; gamma radiation; paracetamol; process intensification