Mineralization enhancement of a recalcitrant pharmaceutical pollutant in water by advanced oxidation hybrid processes

• Published in: Water research (Oxford) Vol. 43; no. 16; pp. 3984 - 3991
• Main Authors: Méndez-Arriaga, F., Torres-Palma, R.A., Pétrier, C., Esplugas, S., Gimenez, J., Pulgarin, C.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: England Elsevier Ltd 01-09-2009
• Subjects: Advanced oxidation process hybrid systems; degradation; dissolved organic carbon; drugs; Hydrogen Peroxide - chemistry; Ibuprofen; Ibuprofen - analysis; Ibuprofen - chemistry; iron; Iron - chemistry; mineralization; oxidation; Oxidation-Reduction; Photo-Fenton; Photolysis; pollutants; Sonolysis; TiO 2; Titanium - chemistry; titanium dioxide; ultrasonic treatment; Waste Disposal, Fluid - methods; wastewater treatment; Water Pollutants, Chemical - analysis; Water Pollutants, Chemical - chemistry; water pollution; Photo-Fenton; Advanced oxidation process hybrid systems; TiO 2; Ibuprofen; Sonolysis
• ISSN: 0043-1354; 1879-2448
• DOI: 10.1016/j.watres.2009.06.059

Degradation of the biorecalcitrant pharmaceutical micropollutant ibuprofen (IBP) was carried out by means of several advanced oxidation hybrid configurations. TiO
2 photocatalysis, photo-Fenton and sonolysis – all of them under solar simulated illumination – were tested in the hybrid systems: sonophoto-Fenton (FS), sonophotocatalysis (TS) and TiO
2/Fe
2+/sonolysis (TFS). In the case of the sonophoto-Fenton process, the IBP degradation (95%) and mineralization (60%) were attained with photo-Fenton (FH). The presence of ultrasonic irradiation slightly improves the iron catalytic activity. On the other hand, total removal of IBP and elimination of more than 50% of dissolved organic carbon (DOC) were observed by photocatalysis with TiO
2 in the presence of ultrasound irradiation (TS). In contrast only 26% of mineralization was observed by photocatalysis with H
2O
2 (TH) in the absence of ultrasound irradiation. Additional results showed that, in the TFS system, 92% of DOC removal and complete degradation of IBP were obtained within 240
min of treatment. The advanced oxidation hybrid systems seems to be a promising alternative for full elimination/mineralization for the recalcitrant micro-contaminant IBP.