Mechanistic insights into paracetamol transformation in UV/NH2Cl process: Experimental and theoretical study

Degradation behaviors of Nabumetone and its metabolite during UV/monochloramine process: Experimental and theoretical study

This study investigated degradation behaviors of a nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug Nabumetone (NMT) and its major metabolite 6-methoxy-2-naphthylacetic acid (MNA) in the coupling process of ultraviolet and monochloramine (UV/NH2Cl). The second-order rate constants of the contaminants reacting with reactive radicals (HO•, Cl•, Cl2•⁻, and CO3•⁻) were determined by laser flash photolysis experiments. HO• and Cl• contributed predominantly with 52.3% and 21.7% for NMT degradation and 60.8% and 22.3% for MNA degradation. The presence of chlorides retarded the degradation of NMT, while promoted the destruction of MNA, which was ascribed to the photosensitization effects of MNA under UV irradiation. Density functional theory (DFT) calculations revealed that radical adduct formation (RAF) was dominant pathway for both HO• and Cl• reacting with the contaminants, and hydrogen atom transfer (HAT) preferred to occur on side chains of NMT and MNA. NMT reacted with NO2• through single electron transfer (SET) with the second-order rate constant calculated to be 5.35 × 107 (mol/L)-1 sec-1, and the contribution of NO2• was predicted to be 13.0% of the total rate constant of NMT in pure water, which indicated that NO2• played a non-negligible role in the degradation of NMT. The acute toxicity and developmental toxicity of NMT were enhanced after UV/NH2Cl treatment, while those of MNA were alleviated. The transformation products of both NMT and MNA exhibited higher mutagenicity than their parent compounds. This study provides a deep understanding of the mechanism of radical degradation of NMT and MNA in the treatment of UV/NH2Cl.

Unveiling the Mechanism and Kinetics of Pollutant Attenuation by Free Radicals Triggered from Goethite in Water Distribution Systems

Investigating the fate of persistent organic pollutants in water distribution systems (WDSs) is of great significance for preventing human health risks. The role of iron corrosion scales in the migration and transformation of organics in such systems remains unclear. Herein, we determined that hydroxyl (•OH), chlorine, and chlorine oxide radicals are generated by Fenton-like reactions due to the coexistence of oxygen vacancy-related Fe(II) on goethite (a major constituent of iron corrosion scales) and hypochlorous acid (HClO, the main reactive chlorine species of residual chlorine at pH ∼ 7.0). •OH contributed mostly to the decomposition of atrazine (ATZ, model compound) more than other radicals, producing a series of relatively low-toxicity small molecular intermediates. A simplified kinetic model consisting of mass transfer of ATZ and HClO, •OH generation, and ATZ oxidation by •OH on the goethite surface was developed to simulate iron corrosion scale-triggered residual chlorine oxidation of organic compounds in a WDS. The model was validated by comparing the fitting results to the experimental data. Moreover, the model was comprehensively applicable to cases in which various inorganic ions (Ca2+, Na+, HCO3-, and SO42-) and natural organic matter were present. With further optimization, the model may be employed to predict the migration and accumulation of persistent organic pollutants under real environmental conditions in the WDSs.

Ultraviolet activation of monochloramine to treat contaminants of emerging concern: reactions, operating parameters, byproducts, and opportunities

The presence of CECs in aquatic systems has raised significant concern since they are potentially harmful to the environment and human health. Eliminating CECs has led to the development of alternatives to treat wastewater, such as advanced oxidation processes (AOPs). The ultraviolet-mediated activation of monochloramine (UV/NH2Cl) is a novel and relatively unexplored AOPs for treating pollutants in wastewater systems. This process involves the production of amino radicals (•NH2) and chlorine radicals (Cl•) from the UV irradiation of NH2Cl. Studies have demonstrated its effectiveness in mitigating various CECs, exhibiting advantages, such as the potential to control the amount of toxic disinfection byproducts (TDBPs) formed, low costs of reagents, and low energy consumption. However, the strong influence of operating parameters in the degradation efficiency and existence of NH2Cl, the lack of studies of its use in real matrices and techno-economic assessments, low selectivity, and prolonged treatment periods must be overcome to make this technology more competitive with more mature AOPs. This review article revisits the state-of-the-art of the UV/NH2Cl technology to eliminate pharmaceutical and personal care products (PPCPs), micropollutants from the food industry, pesticides, and industrial products in aqueous media. The reactions involved in the production of radicals and the influence of operating parameters are covered to understand the formation of TDBPs and the main challenges and limitations of the UV/NH2Cl to degrade CECs. This review article generates critical knowledge about the UV/NH2Cl process, expanding the horizon for a better application of this technology in treating water contaminated with CECs.

Photo-anammox by vacuum ultraviolet tandem chlorine

Excessive ammonia (NH4+) discharge can lead to algal blooms and disrupt water sustainability, so its control is imperative. Although microbiology-triggered anammox process is promising, its application is limited due to time-consuming cultivation of specific microorganisms and need for skilled operation. To bypass these barriers, this study proposed and verified a photo-induced anammox technology that removes NH4+ and total nitrogen (TN) from water by ultraviolet (UV)/vacuum UV (VUV)/chlorine under anoxic conditions. Under the Cl/N mass ratio of 5:1, the anoxic VUV/UV/chlorine process achieved 66.8% removal of 10 mg-N/L NH4+ within 10 min along with 57.8% reduction in TN. Besides the evidence from TN loss, this study confirmed nitrogen gas (N2) as the primary degradation product at low dissolved oxygen (DO) concentration of 2.0 mg/L. The selective conversion of NH4+ into N2 was mainly attributed to reactive nitrogen species (RNS, 42.5%) and reactive chlorine species (RCS, 57.5%). The TN removal efficiency was insensitive to certain variations of pH (7.0-9.0), NH4+ concentration (1-30 mg-N/L), chloride (50-125 mg/L), and sulfate (25-100 mg/L), but sensitive to DO and bicarbonate (25-100 mg/L). Given its robustness and high efficiency, the anoxic VUV/UV/chlorine technology may serve as a potentially promising alternative for NH4+ and TN alleviation in wastewater.

A Novel Source of Radicals from UV/Dichloroisocyanurate for Surpassing Abatement of Emerging Contaminants Versus Conventional UV/Chlor(am)ine Processes

Ultraviolet (UV)/chlor(am)ine processes are emerging advanced oxidation processes (AOPs) for water decontamination and raising continuous attention. However, limitations appear in the UV/hypochlorite and UV/monochloramine for removing specific contaminants ascribed to the differences in the sorts and yields of free radicals. Here, this study reports UV/dichloroisocyanurate (NaDCC) as a novel source of radicals. NaDCC was demonstrated to be a well-balanced compound between hypochlorite and monochloramine, and it had significant UV absorption and a medium intrinsic quantum yield. The UV/NaDCC produced more substantial hydroxyl radicals (·OH) and reactive chlorine species (RCSs, including Cl·, ClO·, and Cl2·-) than conventional UV/chlor(am)ine, thereby generating a higher oxidation efficiency. The reaction mechanisms, environmental applicability, and energy requirements of the UV/NaDCC process for emerging contaminants (ECs) abatement were further investigated. The results showed that ·OH and ·NH2 attacked ECs mostly through hydrogen atom transfer (HAT) and radical adduct formation, whereas Cl· destroyed ECs mainly through HAT and single electron transfer, with ClO· playing a certain role through HAT. Kinetic model analyses revealed that the UV/NaDCC outperformed the conventional UV/chlor(am)ine in a variety of water matrices with superior degradation efficiency, significantly saving up to 96% electrical energy per order. Overall, this study first demonstrates application prospects of a novel AOP using UV/NaDCC, which can compensate for the deficiency of the conventional UV/chlor(am)ine AOPs.

Generation of Reactive Nitrogen Species in UV Photolysis of Dichloramine and Their Incorporation into Nitrogenous Byproducts

Dichloramine (NHCl2) often coexists with monochloramine (NH2Cl) in reverse osmosis (RO) permeate in potable reuse scenarios when NH2Cl is added upstream of RO for membrane fouling control such that UV photolysis of NHCl2 occurs during the downstream UV/chloramine process. However, the formation of reactive nitrogen species (RNS) and their incorporation into byproducts during the UV/NHCl2 process are largely unknown. This study quantitatively evaluated the generation of RNS in the UV/NHCl2 process and investigated the role of RNS in micropollutant transformation. UV photolysis of NHCl2 produced comparable RNS concentration to that of NH2Cl at the same oxidant dosage (100 μM) at pH 5.5. Under the experimental conditions, the RNS contributed greatly (40.6%) to N,N-diethyl-3-methylbenzamide (DEET) degradation. By using 15N-labeling and mass spectrometry methods, seven nitrogenous byproducts of DEET degradation with the incorporation of nitrogen originating from the RNS were detected. Among these seven byproducts, six were identified to contain a nitro group (-NO2). While the UV/NHCl2 process formed comparable intensities of -NO-containing products to those in the UV/NH2Cl process, the later process formed 3-91% higher intensities of -NO2-containing products. These findings are essential in furthering our understanding of the contribution of the UV/NHCl2 process in potable reuse scenarios.

Caffeic acid accelerated the Fe(II) reinvention in Fe(III)/PMS system for bisphenol A degradation: Oxidation intermediates and inherent mechanism

Fe(II)-catalyzed PMS process was widely used in the degradation of refractory pollutants in wastewater, while its performance was restricted by the slow regeneration efficiency of Fe(II). Herein, caffeic acid (CFA), a representative of hydroxycinnamic acids, was introduced into Fe(III)/PMS system to accelerate the transformation of Fe(III) to Fe(II) and promote the removal of bisphenol A (BPA). Under optimum condition of 0.1 mM CFA, 0.05 mM Fe(III), and 0.5 mM PMS, almost complete removal of BPA can be achieved within 20 min, which was roughly 6.2 times higher than that in Fe(III)/PMS system. As the addition of CFA into Fe(III)/PMS system, pH application range was widened from acidic to alkaline conditions. The reduction and chelation of CFA expedited the Fe(III)/Fe(II) cycle by forming CFA-Fe chelate, thereby facilitating the PMS activation. Based on LC-MS analysis and DFT calculation, the intermediate products of CFA were found to play a decisive role in boosting the regeneration of Fe(II), and the toxicity of these intermediates towards organisms was evaluated by ECOSAR. The alcohol-scavenging and chemical probe tests certified that hydroxyl radical (•OH), sulfate radical (SO4•-), and Fe(IV) coexisted in Fe(III)/CFA/PMS system, and the second-order reaction rate constants of •OH and SO4•- reacted with CFA were calculated to be 3.16✕109 and 2.30✕1010 M-1 s-1, respectively. Two major degradation pathways of BPA, •OH addition and SO4•- induced hydroxylation reaction, were proposed. This work presented a novel green phenolic compound that expedited the Fe(II)-catalyzed PMS activation process for the treatment of organic contaminants.

Kinetics and mechanism of triclocarban degradation by the chlorination process: Theoretical calculation and experimental verification

Triclocarban (TCC) is an antimicrobial agent commonly used in many household and personal care products, and has been found persistent in the aquatic environment. Here we elucidate the kinetics and mechanism of TCC degradation during chlorination process by density functional theory (DFT) calculation and experimental verification. Results showed that hypochlorous acid (HOCl)/hypochlorite (OCl-) reacted with TCC via Cl-substitution, OH-substitution and C-N bond cleavage pathways. The reactivity of OCl- (2.80 × 10-7 M-1 s-1) with TCC was extremely low and HOCl (1.96 M-1 s-1) played the dominant role in TCC chlorination process. The N site of TCC was the most reactive site for chlorination. The second-order rate constants, which are determined using density functional theory (DFT) (kTCC-chlorineC, 1.96 M-1 s-1), can be separated into reaction rate constants related to the reactions of HOCl and OCl- with different isomers of TCC (TCC2 and TCC6). The obtained kTCC-chlorineC was consistent with the experimental determined second-order rate constant (kTCC-chlorineE, 3.70 M-1 s-1) in chlorination process. Eight transformation products (TP348, TP382, TP127, TP161, TP195, TP330, TP204, and TP296) were experimentally detected for chlorination of TCC, which could also be predicted by DFT calculation. Explicit water molecules participated in the chlorination reaction by transmitting the proton and connecting with TCC, HOCl/OCl- and other H2O molecules, and obviously reduced the energy barrier of chlorination.

Comparison of UV and UV-LED activated sodium percarbonate for the degradation of O-desmethylvenlafaxine

As an active metabolite of venlafaxine and emerging antidepressant, O-desmethylvenlafaxine (ODVEN) was widely detected in different water bodies, which caused potential harm to human health and environmental safety. In this study, the comparative work on the ODVEN degradation by UV (254 nm) and UV-LED (275 nm) activated sodium percarbonate (SPC) systems was systematically performed. The higher removal rate of ODVEN can be achieved under UV-LED direct photolysis (14.99%) than UV direct photolysis (4.57%) due to the higher values of photolysis coefficient at the wavelength 275 nm. Significant synergistic effects were observed in the UV/SPC (80.38%) and UV-LED/SPC (53.57%) systems and the former exhibited better performance for the elimination of ODVEN. The degradation of ODVEN all followed the pseudo-first-order kinetics well in these processes, and the pseudo-first-order rate constant (k_obs) increased with increasing SPC concentration. Radicals quenching experiments demonstrated that both ·OH and CO₃·^- were involved in the degradation of ODVEN and the second-order rate constant of ODVEN with CO₃·^- (1.58 × 10⁸ (mol/L)^-1 sec^-1) was reported for the first time based on competitive kinetic method. The introduction of HA, Cl^-, NO₃^- and HCO₃^- inhibited the ODVEN degradation to varying degrees in the both processes. According to quantum chemical calculation, radical addition at the ortho-position of the phenolic hydroxyl group was confirmed to be the main reaction pathways for the oxidation of ODVEN by ·OH. In addition, the oxidation of ODVEN may involve the demethylation, H-abstraction, OH-addition and C-N bond cleavage. Eventually, the UV-LED/SPC process was considered to be more cost-effective compared to the UV/SPC process, although the UV/SPC process possessed a higher removal rate of ODVEN.

Rate constants for the reactions of chloride monoxide radical (ClO•) and organic molecules of environmental interest

ClO^• plays a key role in the UV/chlorine process besides Cl^•, Cl2^• - , and ^•OH. In many experiments, ClO^• proved to be the main reactant that destroyed the organic pollutants in advanced oxidation process. About 200 rate constants of ClO^• reactions were collected from the literature, grouped together according to the chemical structure, and the molecular structure dependencies were evaluated. In most experiments, ClO^• was produced by the photolytic reaction of HClO/ClO-. For a few compounds, the rate constants were determined by the absolute method, pulse radiolysis. Most values were obtained in steady-state experiments by competitive technique or by complex kinetic calculations after measuring the pollutant degradation in the UV/chlorine process. About 30% of the listed rate constant values were derived in quantum chemical or in structure-reactivity (QSAR) calculations. The values show at least six orders of magnitude variations with the molecular structure. Molecules having electron-rich parts, e.g., phenol/phenolate, amine, or sulfite group have high rate constants in the range of 10⁸-10⁹ mol^-1 dm³ s^-1. ClO^• is inactive in reactions with saturated molecules, alcohols, or simple aromatic molecules.

Influence of water matrix components on the UV/chlorine process and its reactions mechanism

The UV/chlorine system has become an attractive alternative Advanced Oxidation Process (AOP) for the removal of recalcitrant pollutants in the last decade due to the simultaneous formation of chlorine and hydroxyl radicals. However, there is no consensus regarding the results and trends obtained in previous micropollutant removal studies by AOPs, highlighting the complexity of the UV/chlorine process and the need for further research. This study investigates the degradation of acetaminophen (ACTP) by UV/chlorine and the effects of the water matrix in the reaction kinetics. In particular, the effects of natural organic matter (NOM), alkalinity and mineral salts on the kinetics and reactive species were elucidated. The complexity of the system was revealed by the analysis of the radical generation and transformation in different water matrices, applying the kinetic modelling approach to complement the scavenger tests. The higher kinetic rates of ACTP at alkaline pH provided new insights into the chlorine reactions under UV radiation, where secondary and tertiary reactive oxygen species including ozone were proven to play the major role in degradation. On the contrary, at acidic pH, reaction kinetic modelling demonstrated that ClO^• radical occurs at high concentrations in the order of 10^-10 M, being therefore the main oxidant, followed by other chlorine radicals. It is noteworthy that at alkaline pH the presence of typical inorganic ions such as carbonate had little impact on ACTP degradation, contrary to the observed reduction of degradation rates at acidic pH. The expected detrimental effect of the NOM in AOPs was also evidenced, although the use of chlorine as radical source reduces the relevance of the inner filter effect in comparison to UV/H₂O₂.

Impact of water matrices on oxidation effects and mechanisms of pharmaceuticals by ultraviolet-based advanced oxidation technologies: A review

The binding between water components (dissolved organic matters, anions and cations) and pharmaceuticals influences the migration and transformation of pollutants. Herein, the impact of water matrices on drug degradation, as well as the electrical energy demands during UV, UV/catalysts, UV/O₃, UV/H₂O₂-based, UV/persulfate and UV/chlorine processes were systemically evaluated. The enhancement effects of water constituents are due to the powerful reactive species formation, the recombination reduction of electrons and holes of catalyst and the catalyst regeneration; the inhibition results from the light attenuation, quenching effects of the excited states of target pollutants and reactive species, the stable complexations generation and the catalyst deactivation. The transformation pathways of the same pollutant in various AOPs have high similarities. At the same time, each oxidant also can act as a special nucleophile or electrophile, depending on the functional groups of the target compound. The electrical energy per order (EEO) of drugs degradation may follow the order of EEO_UV > EEO_UV/catalyst > EEO_UV/H2O2 > EEO_UV/PS > EEO_UV/chlorine or EEO_UV/O3. Meanwhile, it is crucial to balance the cost-benefit assessment and toxic by-products formation, and the comparison of the contaminant degradation pathways and productions in the presence of different water matrices is still lacking.

Rate constants of chlorine atom reactions with organic molecules in aqueous solutions, an overview

Rate constants of chlorine atom (Cl^•) reactions (k_Cl•) determined using a large variation of experimental methods, including transient measurements, steady-state and computation techniques, were collected from the literature and were discussed together with the reaction mechanisms. The k_Cl• values are generally in the 10⁸-10⁹ mol^-1 dm³ s^-1 range when the basic reaction between the Cl^• and the target molecule is H-atom abstraction. When Cl^• addition to double bonds dominates the interaction, the k_Cl• values are in the 1 × 10⁹-2 × 10¹⁰ mol^-1 dm³ s^-1 range. In the k_Cl• = 1 × 10¹⁰-4 × 10¹⁰ mol^-1 dm³ s^-1 range, single-electron-transfer reactions may also contribute to the mechanism. The Cl^• reactions with organic molecules in many respects are similar to those of ^•OH, albeit Cl^• seems to be less selective as ^•OH. However, there is an important difference, as opposed to Cl^• in the case of ^•OH single-electron-transfer reactions have minor importance. The uncertainty of Cl^• rate constant determinations is much higher than those of ^•OH. Since Cl^• reactions play very important role in the emerging UV/chlorine water purification technology, some standardization of the rate constant measuring techniques and more k_Cl• measurements are recommended.

Degradation of bisphenol A by UV/persulfate process in the presence of bromide: Role of reactive bromine

Bromide (Br^-), a ubiquitous species in natural water, is capable of reacting with sulfate radical (SO₄∙^-) and hydroxyl radical (∙OH) to form secondary reactive bromine species (RBS). The reaction routes can influence the degradation mechanisms and performance of these radicals for removal of target pollutants and may also form harmful bromine-containing disinfection by-products (Br-DBPs) during subsequent chlorination. In the present research, the UV-activated persulfate (PS) degradation of bisphenol A (BPA) was systematically examined in the presence of Br^-. Results indicated that the presence of Br^-enhanced the BPA degradation and both UV/PS and UV/PS/Br^- processes followed the pseudo-first-order kinetics. At 0-0.8 mM Br^-, 0.2 mM Br^- exerted the best enhanced effect on BPA degradation, while RBS functioned as the major contributor in the presence of 0.05-0.5 mM Br^-. Solution pH (6.0-8.0) barely affected the BPA degradation in the UV/PS system, but the introduction of Br^- augmented the pH dependence. In the UV/PS/Br^-system, the reaction rate constant of BPA increased/decreased with increasing PS/HA dosage, and was affected slightly in the presence of bicarbonate and chloride. According to the quantum chemical calculation, the second-order rate constants of BPA with ∙OH, SO₄∙^-, Br∙ and Br₂∙^- were calculated as 7.65 × 10¹⁰, 1.67 × 10⁹, 1.77 × 10⁸ and 2.83 × 10² M^-1 s^-1, respectively. Additionally, three degradation pathways of BPA were proposed based on DFT calculation and HPLC/MS analysis, and the formed bromine-containing products exhibited higher toxicity than BPA. Br-DBPs, particularly tribromomethane and tribromoacetic acid, generated from UV/PS/Br^-pre-oxidation during BPA chlorination significantly increased the toxicity of total DBPs.

Direct and nitrite-sensitized indirect photolysis of effluent-derived phenolic contaminants under UV254 irradiation

UV₂₅₄ photolysis has increasingly been utilized for disinfection of water-born pathogens in wastewater. During disinfection, wastewater-derived trace organic contaminants, such as pharmaceuticals and personal care products (PPCPs), may be subjected to direct photolysis and indirect photolysis sensitized by wastewater constituents such as nitrite (NO₂^-). Herein, we reported the direct photolysis and NO₂^--sensitized indirect photolysis of four phenolic contaminants commonly observed in wastewaters (i.e., bisphenol A (BPA), acetaminophen (ATP), salbutamol (SAL), and 2,4-dihydroxybenzophenone (BP1)). Spectroscopic characterization and quantum yield measurement were carried out to evaluate the photochemical reactivity of these phenolic compounds. In NO₂^--sensitized photolysis, the relative contribution of direct and indirect photolysis was quantified by light screening factor calculation and radical quenching studies. The experimental results highlight the important roles of HO˙ and NO₂˙ in the NO₂^--sensitized photolysis of phenolic compounds. A series of intermediate products, including hydroxylated, nitrated, nitrosated, dimerized, and alkyl chain cleavage products, were identified by solid phase extraction (SPE) combined with high-resolution mass spectrometry (HRMS) analyses. On the basis of identified products, the underlying mechanisms and transformation pathways for NO₂^--sensitized photolysis of these phenolic compounds were elucidated. The second-order rate constants of BPA, SAL, BP1 with NO₂˙ were calculated to be 2.25 × 10⁴, 1.35 × 10⁴ and 2.44 × 10⁴ M^-1 s^-1, respectively, by kinetic modeling. Suwanee River natural organic matter (SRNOM) played complex roles in the direct and NO₂^--sensitized photolysis of phenolic compounds by serving as a photosensitizer, light screening and radical quenching agent. Wastewater constituents, such as NO₃^- and EfOM, could accelerate direct and NO₂^--sensitized photolysis of BPA, SAL, and BP1 in the wastewater matrix. Our results suggest that NO₂^- at the WWTP effluent-relevant level can sensitize the photolysis of effluent-derived phenolic contaminants during the UV₂₅₄ disinfection process; however, the formation of potentially carcinogenic and mutagenic nitrated/nitrosated derivatives should be scrutinized.

Enhanced formation of trichloronitromethane precursors during UV/monochloramine treatment

This study systematically investigates the formation of trichloronitromethane (TCNM) from 2 natural waters, 6 humic substances and 16 phenolic compounds during UV/monochloramine (UV/NH₂Cl) followed by post-chloramination. Using ¹⁵N-NH₂Cl as an isotope tracer, we found that ¹⁵N-TCNM accounted for 70.7-76.5% of total TCNM during UV/NH₂Cl treated 2 natural waters, which was significantly higher than the proportion of ¹⁵N-TCNM in chloramination (NH₂Cl alone). This is a direct evidence that NH₂Cl, rather than the nitrogenous matters in waters, was the predominant nitrogen source of TCNM during UV/NH₂Cl treatment. Phenol derivatives with meta-substituents and with electron-withdrawing groups facilitated the formation of TCNM precursors during UV/NH₂Cl treatment. Significant correlations were found between Hammett constants (σ) of substituents and TCNM formation potentials. The formation mechanisms of TCNM were revealed using resorcinol as a representative phenolic compound. During UV/NH₂Cl treatment, HO^•, reactive chlorine species and reactive nitrogen species contributed to 28.1%, 29.0% and 19.4% of resorcinol degradation. Five nitro(so)-intermediates were identified as the main TCNM precursors. The formation pathways of TCNM were proposed. Alkaline pH was recommended to reduce the formation of TCNM precursors during UV/NH₂Cl treatment.

Selective degradation of acetaminophen from hydrolyzed urine by peroxymonosulfate alone: performances and mechanisms

Owing to the high concentration of pharmaceuticals in urine, the degradation of these organic pollutants before their environmental release is highly desired. Peroxymonosulfate (PMS) is a desirable oxidant that can be applied to environmental remediation; however, the performance and mechanism of PMS for the degradation of pharmaceuticals in the urine matrix have not been investigated. Herein, PMS was first discovered to efficiently degrade typical pharmaceuticals in hydrolyzed urine (HU) by selecting acetaminophen (ACE) as a target compound. Quenching experiments revealed that singlet oxygen (1O2) and hydroxyl radicals (HO˙) were observed in the HU/PMS system, but the principal reactive species (RS) responsible for ACE removal was 1O2. The major constituents of HU, including SO4 2- and organics (creatine, creatinine and hippuric acid), hardly affected the elimination of ACE, whereas Cl-, H2PO4 - and NH4 + would accelerate ACE degradation. Besides, HCO3 - slightly inhibited this process. The ACE degradation efficiency was enhanced using photo-irradiation, including sunlight and visible light, although increasing the reaction temperature could, interestingly, hardly accelerate the degradation rate of ACE. Three-dimensional excitation-emission matrices (3D-EEMs) have indicated that other intermediates that have a higher fluorescence intensity might be generated in the HU/PMS system. Finally, nine intermediate products were determined and the degradation pathways of ACE were proposed. Overall, the results of this study illustrated that PMS is an efficient oxidant for the degradation of ACE in HU.