Sonolysis-ozonation and peroxidation method for removal of atenolol and amoxicillin in wastewater

Pharmaceutical compounds represent a significant challenge as water pollutants due to their persistence and adverse impacts on both the environment and human health. In the present study, the degradation of two pharmaceuticals- atenolol and amoxicillin was assessed in three advanced oxidation processes (AOPs), namely sonolysis, ozonation, and electrochemical peroxidation (ECP) under varying operational conditions using sewage as water matrix. The degradation of atenolol and amoxicillin was found to be over 95 % at 1350 W, contact time of 15 min and pH of 3 during sonolysis. Ozonation proved very effective in the removal of both pharmaceuticals (>95 %) in a short contact time of 30 s using 0.32 g/L-min ozone dose at pH 9. The removal of pharmaceuticals was highest at pH 9 compared to pH 4, and an ozone dosage of 0.21 g/L-min was found to be adequate for achieving good degradation for both pharmaceuticals (>85 %). In ECP, the maximum removal obtained for atenolol and amoxicillin was 94 % and 91 %, respectively, by using a current intensity of 10 mA/cm² and a hydrogen peroxide dose of 3 mM. Ozonation rapidly degraded (>95 %) atenolol and amoxicillin in just 30 s, showcasing its superior performance.