Degradation and mineralization of moxifloxacin antibiotic in aqueous medium by electro-Fenton process: Kinetic assessment and oxidation products

Abstract

Oxidation of moxifloxacin by electro-Fenton process (EFP) in acidic media at pH 3.0 is investigated. The influences of Fe²⁺ and current density have been assessed in order to determine the optimum operating parameters. Kinetic analysis of the degradation of initial moxifloxacin suggests a pseudo-first-order degradation reaction. The mineralization of the treated solutions is simultaneously monitored from the abatement of the chemical oxygen demand. The evaluation of the chemical composition and the characterization of the degradation products of moxifloxacin during electrolysis are carried out by high-performance liquid chromatography. The obtained results reveal the significant efficiency of EFP to degrade the moxifloxacin in the aqueous solution.

Keywords:

• degradation
• moxifloxacin
• electro-Fenton
• oxidation
• chemical oxygen demand
• antibiotic

Public Interest Statement

In recent years, there has been an increasing concern about the presence of pharmaceuticals from a wide spectrum of therapeutic classes in the aquatic environment, which mainly enter through the sewage treatment plants effluents due to the inefficiency of conventional water treatment technologies. Similar research has been carried out using different types of antibiotics, such as ciprofloxacin and levofloxacin, This study has shown and previous studies that I have made that many antibiotics partially eliminated in conventional wastewater treatment plants. It also demonstrated the electrochemical advanced oxidation processes has higher abilities to destroy efficiently a large variety of toxic. These methods are based on the electrochemical generation of hydroxyl radicals (^•OH) generated either directly by means of water oxidation at a suitable anode or indirectly by total or partial on-site production of Fenton’s reagent (${\text{H}}_2{\text{O}}_2+{\text{Fe}}^{2+}$).

Additional information

Funding

Funding. The authors received no direct funding for this research.

Notes on contributors

Muna Sh. Yahya

Muna Sh. Yahya is an associate professor of electrochemistry and analytical chemistry in the Department of Chemistry, University of Hodeidah, Yemen. Her research interests are in drug interaction, kinetics, catalysis, and electro-analytical Chemistry. Her researches interested in electro-Fenton reactions. Currently, her research domains include (i) oxidative degradation study on antimicrobial agent ciprofloxacin by electro-Fenton process (EFP): kinetics and oxidation products, (ii) mineralization of the antibiotic levofloxacin in aqueous medium by EFP: kinetics and intermediate products analysis.