Destruction of Selected Pharmaceuticals with Peroxydisulfate (PDS): An Influence of PDS Activation Methods

Authors:

• Robert Wolski,
• Monika Półtorak,
• Iwona Rykowska,
• Sławomir Kaczmarek,
• Przemysław Andrzejewski

Abstract

The presence of pharmaceuticals’ residual in water is considered as a serious environmental problem. Two of them, i.e., paracetamol and diclofenac were treated with peroxydisulfate activated with ferrous ions and copper oxide. The degradation rates of both compounds versus type activators applied were evaluated by the means of changes of pharmaceutical concentration as well as observed changes of nitrite and nitrate concentrations in the reaction mixtures during the oxidation processes. The results clearly show that paracetamol was relatively easily decomposed independently from the type of PDS activator applied, contrary to the diclofenac, which was more resistant to the oxidation, especially, when CuO activation was used.