Sulfonamide antibiotic reduction in aquatic environment by application of fenton oxidation process

Somayyeh Dehghani,Mitra Gholami,Mahdi Farzadkia,Ahmad Jonidi Jafari

doi:10.1186/1735-2746-10-29

Abstract

Presence of antibiotics in the environment may cause potential risk for aquatic environment and organisms. In this research, Fenton oxidation process was offered as an effective method for removal of antibiotic sulfamethoxazole from aqueous solutions. The experiments were performed on laboratory-scale study under complete mixing at 25±2°C. The effects of initial antibiotic concentration, molar ratio of H2O2/Fe+2, solution pH, concentration of H2O2, Fe+2 and reaction time was studied on the oxidation of sulfamethoxazole in three level. The results indicated that the optimal parameters for Fenton process were as follows: molar ratio of [H2O2]/[Fe+2] = 1.5, pH= 4.5, and contact time= 15 min. In this situation, the antibiotic removal and COD reduction were achieved 99.99% and 64.7-70.67%, respectively. Although, Fenton reaction could effectively degrade antibiotic sulfamethoxazole under optimum experimental conditions, however, the rate of mineralization was not completed. This process can be considered to eliminate other refractory antibiotics with similar structure or to increase their biodegradability.

Highlights

In recent years, several pharmaceuticals have been detected in aquatic environment such as treated drinking water, surface water, groundwater, wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) effluents and sludge [1,2]
Release of these chemicals in the environment can is of high concern for public health, and may have undesirable health effects on humans, animals and ecosystem [2]. Antibiotics are such materials that can reach the environment via different routes like: human or animal excretions, pharmaceutical manufacturing plants effluents, medical wastes, animal fertilizer, municipal WWTPs and hospital wastewater [2,3]
Antibiotic sulfamethoxazole (SMX) is one of the most frequent sulfonamides in municipal wastewater [4]. This compound is persistent against conventional and biological treatments and its removal efficiency in WWTPs is moderately low [5,6]. It has been reported in WWTPs effluents up to 1.9 μg/L and can be detected in

Summary

Introduction

Several pharmaceuticals have been detected in aquatic environment such as treated drinking water, surface water, groundwater, wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) effluents and sludge [1,2]. Release of these chemicals in the environment can is of high concern for public health, and may have undesirable health effects on humans, animals and ecosystem [2]. Antibiotic sulfamethoxazole (SMX) is one of the most frequent sulfonamides in municipal wastewater [4] This compound is persistent against conventional and biological treatments and its removal efficiency in WWTPs is moderately low [5,6]. It has reported that Fenton reaction and ozonation enable to eliminate over 90% oxytetracycline from manure [12]

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Conclusion