Photocatalytic Degradation of Inherent Pharmaceutical Concentration Levels in Real Hospital WWTP Effluents Using g-C<sub>3</sub>N<sub>4</sub> Catalyst on CPC Pilot Scale Reactor
The objective of this work was to evaluate the efficiency of a solar photocatalytic process using g-C<sub>3</sub>N<sub>4</sub> as photocatalyst on the degradation of pharmaceutical compounds detected in hospital wastewater treatment plant secondary effluents. A compound parab...
| Main Authors: | , , , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
MDPI AG
2023-01-01
|
| Series: | Molecules |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/1420-3049/28/3/1170 |
| _version_ | 1827759880001290240 |
|---|---|
| author | Ilaeira Rapti Theodora Kourkouta Evrydiki-Maria Malisova Triantafyllos Albanis Ioannis Konstantinou |
| author_facet | Ilaeira Rapti Theodora Kourkouta Evrydiki-Maria Malisova Triantafyllos Albanis Ioannis Konstantinou |
| author_sort | Ilaeira Rapti |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | The objective of this work was to evaluate the efficiency of a solar photocatalytic process using g-C<sub>3</sub>N<sub>4</sub> as photocatalyst on the degradation of pharmaceutical compounds detected in hospital wastewater treatment plant secondary effluents. A compound parabolic collector pilot plant, established in the secondary effluent stream of the Ioannina city hospital wastewater treatment plant, was used for the photocatalytic experiments. The analysis of the samples before and after the photocatalytic treatment was accomplished using solid phase extraction (SPE), followed by UHPLC-LTQ/Orbitrap HRMS. Initial effluent characterization revealed the presence of ten pharmaceutical compounds. Among these, amisulpride, O-desmethyl venlafaxine, venlafaxine and carbamazepine were detected in all experiments. Initial concentrations ranged from 73 ng L<sup>−1</sup> for citalopram to 2924.53 ng L<sup>−1</sup> for O-desmethyl venlafaxine. The evolution of BOD<sub>5</sub> and COD values were determined before and after the photocatalytic treatment. All detected pharmaceuticals were removed in percentages higher than 54% at an optimum catalyst loading ranging between 200 and 300 mg L<sup>−1</sup>. The potential of the catalyst to be reused without any treatment for two consecutive cycles was studied, showing a significant efficiency decrease. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-11T09:33:48Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-e6018db547fa42c99d2d0e5a66a50883 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1420-3049 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-11T09:33:48Z |
| publishDate | 2023-01-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Molecules |
| spelling | doaj.art-e6018db547fa42c99d2d0e5a66a508832023-11-16T17:28:38ZengMDPI AGMolecules1420-30492023-01-01283117010.3390/molecules28031170Photocatalytic Degradation of Inherent Pharmaceutical Concentration Levels in Real Hospital WWTP Effluents Using g-C<sub>3</sub>N<sub>4</sub> Catalyst on CPC Pilot Scale ReactorIlaeira Rapti0Theodora Kourkouta1Evrydiki-Maria Malisova2Triantafyllos Albanis3Ioannis Konstantinou4Laboratory of Industrial Chemistry, Department of Chemistry, University of Ioannina, 45110 Ioannina, GreeceLaboratory of Industrial Chemistry, Department of Chemistry, University of Ioannina, 45110 Ioannina, GreeceLaboratory of Industrial Chemistry, Department of Chemistry, University of Ioannina, 45110 Ioannina, GreeceLaboratory of Industrial Chemistry, Department of Chemistry, University of Ioannina, 45110 Ioannina, GreeceLaboratory of Industrial Chemistry, Department of Chemistry, University of Ioannina, 45110 Ioannina, GreeceThe objective of this work was to evaluate the efficiency of a solar photocatalytic process using g-C<sub>3</sub>N<sub>4</sub> as photocatalyst on the degradation of pharmaceutical compounds detected in hospital wastewater treatment plant secondary effluents. A compound parabolic collector pilot plant, established in the secondary effluent stream of the Ioannina city hospital wastewater treatment plant, was used for the photocatalytic experiments. The analysis of the samples before and after the photocatalytic treatment was accomplished using solid phase extraction (SPE), followed by UHPLC-LTQ/Orbitrap HRMS. Initial effluent characterization revealed the presence of ten pharmaceutical compounds. Among these, amisulpride, O-desmethyl venlafaxine, venlafaxine and carbamazepine were detected in all experiments. Initial concentrations ranged from 73 ng L<sup>−1</sup> for citalopram to 2924.53 ng L<sup>−1</sup> for O-desmethyl venlafaxine. The evolution of BOD<sub>5</sub> and COD values were determined before and after the photocatalytic treatment. All detected pharmaceuticals were removed in percentages higher than 54% at an optimum catalyst loading ranging between 200 and 300 mg L<sup>−1</sup>. The potential of the catalyst to be reused without any treatment for two consecutive cycles was studied, showing a significant efficiency decrease.https://www.mdpi.com/1420-3049/28/3/1170pharmaceuticalshospital wastewaterssolar photocatalysisg-C<sub>3</sub>N<sub>4</sub>pilot plantsolar photocatalysis |
| spellingShingle | Ilaeira Rapti Theodora Kourkouta Evrydiki-Maria Malisova Triantafyllos Albanis Ioannis Konstantinou Photocatalytic Degradation of Inherent Pharmaceutical Concentration Levels in Real Hospital WWTP Effluents Using g-C<sub>3</sub>N<sub>4</sub> Catalyst on CPC Pilot Scale Reactor Molecules pharmaceuticals hospital wastewaters solar photocatalysis g-C<sub>3</sub>N<sub>4</sub> pilot plant solar photocatalysis |
| title | Photocatalytic Degradation of Inherent Pharmaceutical Concentration Levels in Real Hospital WWTP Effluents Using g-C<sub>3</sub>N<sub>4</sub> Catalyst on CPC Pilot Scale Reactor |
| title_full | Photocatalytic Degradation of Inherent Pharmaceutical Concentration Levels in Real Hospital WWTP Effluents Using g-C<sub>3</sub>N<sub>4</sub> Catalyst on CPC Pilot Scale Reactor |
| title_fullStr | Photocatalytic Degradation of Inherent Pharmaceutical Concentration Levels in Real Hospital WWTP Effluents Using g-C<sub>3</sub>N<sub>4</sub> Catalyst on CPC Pilot Scale Reactor |
| title_full_unstemmed | Photocatalytic Degradation of Inherent Pharmaceutical Concentration Levels in Real Hospital WWTP Effluents Using g-C<sub>3</sub>N<sub>4</sub> Catalyst on CPC Pilot Scale Reactor |
| title_short | Photocatalytic Degradation of Inherent Pharmaceutical Concentration Levels in Real Hospital WWTP Effluents Using g-C<sub>3</sub>N<sub>4</sub> Catalyst on CPC Pilot Scale Reactor |
| title_sort | photocatalytic degradation of inherent pharmaceutical concentration levels in real hospital wwtp effluents using g c sub 3 sub n sub 4 sub catalyst on cpc pilot scale reactor |
| topic | pharmaceuticals hospital wastewaters solar photocatalysis g-C<sub>3</sub>N<sub>4</sub> pilot plant solar photocatalysis |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/1420-3049/28/3/1170 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT ilaeirarapti photocatalyticdegradationofinherentpharmaceuticalconcentrationlevelsinrealhospitalwwtpeffluentsusinggcsub3subnsub4subcatalystoncpcpilotscalereactor AT theodorakourkouta photocatalyticdegradationofinherentpharmaceuticalconcentrationlevelsinrealhospitalwwtpeffluentsusinggcsub3subnsub4subcatalystoncpcpilotscalereactor AT evrydikimariamalisova photocatalyticdegradationofinherentpharmaceuticalconcentrationlevelsinrealhospitalwwtpeffluentsusinggcsub3subnsub4subcatalystoncpcpilotscalereactor AT triantafyllosalbanis photocatalyticdegradationofinherentpharmaceuticalconcentrationlevelsinrealhospitalwwtpeffluentsusinggcsub3subnsub4subcatalystoncpcpilotscalereactor AT ioanniskonstantinou photocatalyticdegradationofinherentpharmaceuticalconcentrationlevelsinrealhospitalwwtpeffluentsusinggcsub3subnsub4subcatalystoncpcpilotscalereactor |