Antibiotic removal from synthetic and real aqueous matrices by peroxymonosulfate-based advanced oxidation processes. A review of recent development
Enric Brillas, Juan M. Peralta‐Hernández
Abstract
The widespread use of antibiotics for the treatment of bacteriological diseases causes their accumulation at low concentrations in natural waters. This gives health risks to animals and humans since it can increase the damage of the beneficial bacteria, the control of infectious diseases, and the resistance to bacterial infection. Potent oxidation methods are required to remove these pollutants from water because of their inefficient abatement in municipal wastewater treatment plants . Over the last three years in the period 2021–September 2023, powerful peroxymonosulfate (PMS)-based advanced oxidation processes (AOPs) have been developed to guaranty the effective removal of antibiotics in synthetic and real waters and wastewater. This review presents a comprehensive analysis of the different procedures proposed to activate PMS-producing strong oxidizing agents like sulfate radical (SO 4 • − ), hydroxyl radical ( • OH, radical superoxide ion (O 2 • − ), and non-radical singlet oxygen ( 1 O 2 ) at different proportions depending on the experimental conditions. Iron, non-iron transition metals, biochar, and carbonaceous materials catalytic, UVC, photocatalytic, thermal, electrochemical, and other processes for PMS activation are summarized. The fundamentals and characteristics of these procedures are detailed remarking on their oxidation power to remove antibiotics, the influence of operating variables, the production and detection of radical and non-radical oxidizing agents, the effect of added inorganic anions, natural organic matter, and aqueous matrix, and the identification of by-products formed. Finally, the theoretical and experimental analysis of the change of solution toxicity during the PMS-based AOPs are described. Comparative degradation of tetracycline by H 2 O 2 , PS (S 2 O 8 2− ), and PMS activated with magnetic carbon catalyst, Effect of pH on the percent of sulfamethoxazole decay at 15 min and rate constant for PMS activated with Fe 3 O 4 /CeO 2 /BiOI photocatalyst under UVA light. •Recent development of peroxymonosulfate (PMS)-based AOPs for antibiotic removal is summarized. •PMS activated by catalytic, UV, photocatalytic, thermal, electrochemical, and other processes. •Radical mechanisms with SO 4 •− , • OH, and O 2 •− and non-radical ones with 1 O 2 are detailed. •Removal in pure water > in real waters: low Cl − content activates, H 2 PO 4 − , HCO 3 − , CO 3 2− , and NOM inhibit. •Description of the theoretical and experimental detoxification of antibiotic waters.