The study of advanced oxidation process (UV/H2O2) performance in removal of the ceftriaxone antibiotic from aqueous solution

Background : The presence of antibiotics in water sources indicates inadequacy of conventional treatment processes for antibiotics removal. The objective of the present study is to investigate the effectiveness of the advanced oxidation process, UV/H2O2, in the removal of ceftriaxone from an aqueous solution on a laboratory scale. Materials and Methods: This experimental study was conducted on a lab scale in a reactor with a capacity of 5800 ml. Aqueous solutions containing ceftriaxone with concentrations of 9, 18, and 27 mg/l were produced. The effect of different variables including the initial concentrations of the antibiotic, pH, retention time, different lamp voltages, and H2O2 concentrations were investigated. The ceftriaxone concentrations were measured using HPLC method. Results: The results of the study showed that the UV/H2O2 method is able to remove 75% of a 9 mg/l concentration of ceftriaxone from an aqueous solution in 3 hours. The removal rates for ceftriaxone are affected by parameters such as pH, the initial concentration of ceftriaxone, the concentration of H2O2 and the intensity of UV radiations. Acidic pH (pH=3), low concentrations of ceftriaxone (9 mg/l), high H2O2 concentrations (15 mg/l) and higher radiation levels (36 Watt) resulted in higher removal rates. Conclusion: The advanced oxidation method UV/ H2O2 is able to effectively remove ceftriaxone from aqueous solutions under proper environmental conditions