As more drinking water and wastewater treatment plants invest in UV disinfection technology, the potential for concomitant removal of pharmaceuticals and personal care products (PPCPs) are significant.  In this work, we describe transformation of eight antibiotics during UV (low-pressure lamp) and UV-H2O2 treatment across the pH 2-9 range.  The investigated antibiotics include ciprofloxacin, norfloxacin, levofloxacin, orbifloxacin, tetracycline, chlortetracycline, oxytetracycline, and doxycycline.  Values for the specific quantum yield (254nm) associated with individual chemical species (i.e., cationic, zwitterionic, and anionic forms of the antibiotics) were calculated using the pH-based apparent quantum yield; the magnitude of the specific quantum yield ranged from 5.09�10-3 einsteins/mol (tetracycline, singly cationic) to 6.43�10-2 einsteins/mol (ciprofloxacin, zwitterionic).  For the UV-H2O2 process, we calculated values for the effective quantum yield as a function of the H2O2 concentration.  These relationships were linear and facilitate description/optimization of PPCP removal in UV/UV-H2O2 processes with known photon flux.

UV and UV-H<sub>2</sub>O<sub>2</sub> treatment of fluoroquinolone and tetracycline antibiotics

245th National Meeting (2013)

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UV and UV-H2O2 treatment of fluoroquinolone and tetracycline antibiotics

UV and UV-H₂O₂ treatment of fluoroquinolone and tetracycline antibiotics