Abstract
The article evaluated the degradation of the captopril in aqueous solution after ozonation and chlorination. The process was continuously monitored focusing on the identification, mass spectrometry and elucidation of its by-products by applying direct infusion and high performance liquid chromatography, electrospray ionization high resolution mass spectrometry, in the negative ion mode. The cytotoxicity of its by-products solutions were evaluated with 3-(4, 5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2, 5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay. It was observed through that after 30 min of ozonation and chlorination, there was complete oxidation of captopril, i.e., 100% removal efficiency. At these conditions, the rate of mineralization, by total organic carbon, was only 7.63% for ozonation and 6.40% for chlorination, evidencing the formation of degradation by-products. Ten captopril by-products were identified and their respective chemical structures elucidations are proposed. The treated samples and their by-products were nontoxic to HepG2 cells by MTT assay.
Highlights
The pharmaceutically active compounds are an essential part of modern human and veterinary medicine
Changes in CP areas during ozonation and chlorination were monitored by high performance liquid chromatography coupled to the hybrid mass spectrometry system
Ozone is unstable in water, the unique feature of ozone is its decomposition into hydroxyl radicals (OH), which are the strongest oxidants in water
Summary
The pharmaceutically active compounds are an essential part of modern human and veterinary medicine. The molecules are absorbed, distributed, metabolized, and excreted at their unchanged form and as metabolites [2]. Often they are excreted slightly transformed only or even unchanged, mostly conjugated to polar molecules [3] [4]. Several studies have revealed that they are not quantitatively removed in conventional wastewater treatment processes. Due to their persistence in these secondary effluents, as well as in surface waters, and since these aquatic streams could be latter used as drinking water sources, they constitute a potential risk to human health [5]
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