Evaluation of UV/H(2)O(2) treatment for the oxidation of pharmaceuticals in wastewater.

Advanced oxidation treatment using low pressure UV light coupled with hydrogen peroxide (UV/H(2)O(2)) was evaluated for the oxidation of six pharmaceuticals in three wastewater effluents. The removal of these six pharmaceuticals (meprobamate, carbamazepine, dilantin, atenolol, primidone and trimethoprim) varied between no observed removal and >90%. The role of the water quality (i.e., alkalinity, nitrite, and specifically effluent organic matter (EfOM)) on hydroxyl radical (OH) exposure was evaluated and used to explain the differences in pharmaceutical removal between the three wastewaters. Results indicated that the efficacy of UV/H(2)O(2) treatment for the removal of pharmaceuticals from wastewater was a function of not only the concentration of EfOM but also its inherent reactivity towards OH. The removal of pharmaceuticals also correlated with reductions in ultraviolet absorbance at 254nm (UV(254)), which offers utilities a surrogate to assess pharmaceutical removal efficiency during UV/H(2)O(2) treatment. Copyright 2009 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.