Abstract
Oxidation kinetics of selected pharmaceutical compounds and their degradation during ozonation of secondary treated municipal wastewater effluent (MWWE) was investigated. The apparent second-order rate constants for the reaction between chlorotetracycline (CTC), enrofloxacin (ENR), gemfibrozil (GEM) and ozone ranged between 6.82 – 52.7 × 104 M−1s−1. The measured second-order hydroxyl radical rate constants were several orders of magnitude higher at 8.4 × 109 – 13.1 × 109 M−1s−1 with a reactivity sequence of GEM > CTC > ENR. Overall degradation of CTC, ENR and GEM in secondary treated municipal wastewater effluent was >76 % at ozone doses of 0.33 mg O3/mg DOC or higher.