Application of Ozone Involving Advanced Oxidation Processes to Remove Some Pharmaceutical Compounds from Urban Wastewaters

Abstract

Different UVA radiation and advanced oxidation systems, most of them involving ozone, have been applied to remove mixtures of three contaminants of pharmaceutical type: diclofenac (DCF), sulfamethoxazole (SMT) and caffeine (CFF), both in ultrapure and secondary treated wastewater. The influence of the water matrix has been studied in terms of individual compound concentration and TOC removal. Also, biodegradability of the treated wastewater before and after the advanced oxidation process, as BOD/COD ratio, the partial oxidation yield, the increment of average state of carbon oxidation and ozone consumption have been determined. For mgL−1 to 100 μgL−1 concentrations and regardless of the ozone process and water type, DCF and SMT are removed in less than 10 min mainly by direct reaction with ozone, especially in the case of DCF. CFF, on the contrary, is mainly removed through hydroxyl radicals. For lower concentration (≤100 μgL−1), DCF still disappears by direct ozonation, CFF by hydroxyl radicals oxidation and SMT through both direct ozonation and hydroxyl radical oxidation. Once DCF and SMT have disappeared, TOC is removed by reacting with hydroxyl radicals, regardless of the water matrix. Photocatalytic ozonation allows the highest TOC degradation rate, partial oxidation yield, increment of average state of carbon oxidation and biodegradability together to the lowest ozone consumption per mg TOC eliminated.