Removal of sulfamethoxazole and diclofenac from water: strategies involving O3 and H2O2

Diclofenac (DCF) and Sulfamethoxazole (SMX) are two of the most frequently detected pharmaceutical compounds in water and are hardly removed by biological treatment systems. The presence of H2O2 was investigated in the ozonation of these two compounds. Experiments were carried out with both using distilled water and secondary effluent from a municipal wastewater treatment plant spiked with pharmaceuticals. Chemical oxygen demand (COD) abatement rate improved when H2O2 was added at the beginning of the ozonation process and when the ozone inlet concentration increased, attaining a maximum value of 91% and simultaneously a lower ozone waste for a H2O2 initial concentration of 5 mM and an ozone inlet concentration of 20 g Nm−3. For these operation conditions, the water matrix has no significant impact on SMX and DCF removal, which were totally degraded in 45 and 60 min, respectively. Nevertheless, lower COD degradation and ozone usage were obtained when the secondary effluent was used. Inorganic ions such as chloride, sulphate and nitrate and short-chain organic compounds were detected as by-products of the SMX and DCF oxidation. Vibrio fischeri luminescence inhibition tests revealed that simultaneous use of ozone and H2O2 reduced acute toxicity.