Quantitative removal of pharmaceutical compounds from water is an increasing problem facing utilities management today. Insufficient remediation of these compounds may lead to proliferation of antibiotic resistant bacteria and increased allergen concerns in the public. Radical-based advanced oxidation and reduction processes (AO/RPs) offer an alternative to traditional methods in quantitative removal of these compounds. This study investigates the applicability of using sulfate radical based oxidation of pharmaceuticals in their quantitative removal from water. Specifically, the influence of dissolved organic matter (DOM) as a scavenger of oxidative species was investigated, because organic compounds interact with the DOM matrix which may retard the mineralization abilities of radical-based AOPs. Kinetic competition studies were performed between the sulfate radical, the antibiotic penicillin-G, endocrine disrupting estrogenic steroids and DOM. Based on measured rate constants, the average equilibrium constant of association between penicillin-G and DOM was found to be 128.1 ± 13.8 and the average association constant between the estrogenic steroids was found to be consistently on the order of 10<sup>3</sup> using an adsorption model. The measured values of the equilibrium constants imply weak adsorption of penicillin-G, but strong adsorption of the mostly hydrophobic estrogenic steroids. These findings indicate that the DOM matrix causes complications in the oxidation process, but the use of sulfate radical oxidation may prove to be an efficient method for the mineralization of pharmaceuticals in DOM containing wastewaters.

Sulfate radical remediation of pharmaceuticals in DOM containing wastewaters

249th National Meeting (2015)

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