Evaluation of sulfathiazole degradation by persulfate in Milli-Q water and in effluent of a sewage treatment plant

Abstract

The presence of antibiotics and their metabolites in natural waters has raised some concern among scientists around the world because it can lead to bacterial resistance and other unknown consequences to mankind and wildlife. Persulfate (PS)-driven oxidation is a new technology that has been used successfully to remediate contaminated sites, but its use to treat wastewater, especially sewage treatment plant (STP) effluent, is still scarce. This paper describes the effect of several persulfate activation methods for degrading sulfathiazole (STZ) in Milli-Q water and in STP effluent. Some parameters, such as pH, persulfate concentration, presence of Mn, Zn, Cu, Fe, and Fe, as well as copper and iron organic complexes, were studied in STZ degradation. Raising the pH from 5 to 9, as well as the persulfate concentration, resulted in increased STZ degradation. Among the transition metals evaluated, only Fe and Cu were able to activate persulfate molecules. Copper was a better activator than iron since its effect lasts longer. Citrate was the best ligand evaluated increasing Fe(II) activation capacity at pH 7. Hydroxylamine addition to Fe(II) on persulfate system extended the Fe(II) effect. The presence of bicarbonate or humic acid did not affect PS-driven degradation of STZ. Finally, the degradation of STZ in STP effluent promoted by PS-driven oxidation (25 °C) was as fast as in Milli-Q water, proving to be successful.

Degradation of propyl paraben by activated persulfate using iron-containing magnetic carbon xerogels: investigation of water matrix and process synergy effects

“…Although sulfate radicals have a lower redox potential than hydroxyl radicals, they are more selective towards certain organics (Velosa and Nascimento 2017;Zhou et al 2017;Lutze et al 2015), and this may justify the reactivity recorded at lower pH values, where sulfate radicals prevail. Dhaka et al (2017) reported that the UV-activated persulfate degradation of methyl paraben at pH = 9, where hydroxyl radicals were the dominant species, was lower than at pH = 3 or pH = 6.5, where sulfate radicals prevailed.…”

Degradation of persistent pesticides via advanced oxidation and reductive processes.

“…Nonetheless, differing results like ours were already reported in the literature. For instance, Velosa and Nascimento (2017) have also reported similar results for sulfathiazole degradation present in STP effluent promoted by activated persulfate. Furthermore, there are already evidences in the literature mentioning that the addition of carbonates to activated-persulfate systems can generate reactive carbonate species capable of catalyzing the propagation reactions, resulting in more sulfate radicals (BENNEDSEN; MUFF; SØGAARD, 2012), which would explain the higher AMZ degradation observed in mineral water.…”

Advances in photocatalytic degradation of organic pollutants in wastewaters: harnessing the power of phthalocyanines and phthalocyanine-containing materials

“…The presence of medicines, their metabolites and/or their degradation products, is a current problem. 194 The photodegradation of sulfathiazole in aqueous media under visible light irradiation ( λ > 400 nm) was studied by Yang and co-workers. 195 They used well-faceted TiO 2 nanosheets with coexposed (001) and (101) and deposited selectively on α-Fe 2 O 3 and Fe/Co–N 4 on (001) facets (NTiO 2 –NS).…”