ORIGINAL RESEARCH
Degradation of Levofloxacin via Fenton Oxidation
Combined with Ultrasonic Treatment in Water
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1
Department of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Jinzhong University, Jinzhong, Shanxi, 030619, China
2
College of Environmental and Resource Sciences, Shanxi University, Taiyuan, 030006, China
Submission date: 2023-10-22
Final revision date: 2023-12-21
Acceptance date: 2024-02-29
Online publication date: 2024-04-15
Publication date: 2024-07-25
Corresponding author
Yinghua Chen
College of Environmental and Resource Sciences, Shanxi University, Taiyuan, 030006, China
Lihong Li
Department of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Jinzhong University, China
Pol. J. Environ. Stud. 2024;33(6):6305-6321
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ABSTRACT
Levofloxacin, as a typical fluoroquinolone antibiotic, is widely used in human bacterial infection
treatment and animal husbandry. However, conventional treatment technologies (e.g., precipitation,
coagulation, and microbial metabolism) have limited ability to remove levofloxacin from wastewater.
In this work, Fenton oxidation combined with ultrasonic treatment was investigated to efficiently
remove levofloxacin from water. As a result, the optimal conditions for Fenton oxidation were
first determined by the design of an orthogonal experiment. Then the combined effect of Fenton
oxidation and ultrasonic treatment demonstrated a positive synergistic effect. In terms of the sequence
selection of Fenton oxidation and ultrasonic treatment, Fenton–ultrasonic (10 min)–interval (40 min)
was the best process. Finally, a total of 12 intermediates of levofloxacin were identified via
HPLC-MS spectra, and possible degradation pathways were tentatively inferred. In addition,
the toxicities of the intermediates were estimated using the Toxicity Estimation Software Tool
according to the U.S. EPA proposed standards, and the results suggest that the overall toxicities
of the intermediates were relatively alleviated in comparison with levofloxacin. This study provides
a strategy for improving the degradation of levofloxacin via Fenton oxidation combined with ultrasonic
treatment with a positive synergistic effect in water.