Unraveling the roles of reactive nitrogen species in the UV/nitrate degradation of naproxen

Key Points

• Reactive nitrogen species significantly enhance the UV degradation of naproxen, a common pharmaceutical.
• The study found a marked increase in degradation rates, with up to 70% reduction observed in treatment scenarios.
• Analysis reveals that both UV and nitrate work synergistically with reactive nitrogen species to degrade naproxen effectively.
• These findings may enable improved strategies for wastewater management and reducing pharmaceutical contaminants.