A1 Journal article (refereed)
Removal of selected antibiotics and antiretroviral drugs during post‐treatment of municipal wastewater with UV, UV/chlorine and UV/hydrogen peroxide (2020)

Ngumba, E., Gachanja, A., & Tuhkanen, T. (2020). Removal of selected antibiotics and antiretroviral drugs during post‐treatment of municipal wastewater with UV, UV/chlorine and UV/hydrogen peroxide. Water and Environment Journal, 34(4), 692-703. https://doi.org/10.1111/wej.12612

JYU authors or editors

Publication details

All authors or editors: Ngumba, Elijah; Gachanja, Anthony; Tuhkanen, Tuula

Journal or series: Water and Environment Journal

ISSN: 1747-6585

eISSN: 1747-6593

Publication year: 2020

Volume: 34

Issue number: 4

Pages range: 692-703

Publisher: Wiley

Publication country: United Kingdom

Publication language: English

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1111/wej.12612

Publication open access: Openly available

Publication channel open access: Partially open access channel

Publication is parallel published (JYX): https://jyx.jyu.fi/handle/123456789/71107

Abstract

Active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs) are only partially removed by convectional wastewater treatment plants. This study aimed at assessing the post‐treatment degradation of selected antibiotics and antiretroviral drugs by direct UV photolysis and advanced oxidation processes (UV/H2O2 and UV/Cl2) using low‐pressure mercury lamp. The rate of degradation largely followed pseudo first‐order reaction kinetics. Amongst the six studied APIs, sulfamethoxazole, ciprofloxacin and zidovudine were readily degraded by more than 90% using direct UV photolysis. Addition of Cl2 and H2O2 to the UV process led to an increase in the rate of degradation for all the compounds. The effectiveness UV/Cl2 process was affected to a greater extent by the background effluent organic matter. This implies that higher electrical energy and oxidant would be required in the UV/Cl2 process relative to UV/H2O2 process. Generally, electrical energy required to remove 90% of the target compounds increased in the order UV/H2O2 < UV/Cl2 < UV processes.

Keywords: sewage; waste water treatment; municipal waste; medicinal substances; biodegradation; oxidation-reduction reaction; chlorine; hydrogen peroxide

Free keywords: advanced oxidation process; antibiotics antiretroviral drugs; chlorine; hydrogen peroxide; post‐treatment; UV; wastewater

Contributing organizations

Ministry reporting: Yes

Reporting Year: 2020

JUFO rating: 1