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Degradation of β-blockers in water by sulfate radical-based oxidation: kinetics, mechanism and ecotoxicity assessment

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Abstract

This study investigated the kinetics and degradation pathway of acebutolol, metoprolol and sotalol in a sulfate radical-based advanced oxidation process. The selected pharmaceuticals were β-blockers which have been used to treat cardiovascular diseases. Due to its frequent use, the presence of these pharmaceuticals in the environment has been regularly reported. In this study, sulfate radicals were generated using peroxymonosulfate with cobalt (II) as activator. At pH 7 and 25 °C, the second-order rate constant for the reaction between SO4 ·− with metoprolol, acebutolol and sotalol was (1.0 ± 0.1) × 1010, (2.0 ± 0.1) × 1010 and (3.0 ± 0.2) × 1010 M−1 s−1, respectively. Sixteen transformation by-products were identified from the selected β-blockers. These transformation by-products were mainly formed through the hydroxylation, aromatic ring-opening reaction and aliphatic chain oxidation. The decomposition of β-blockers by sulfate radicals was found to start from the formation of hydroxylated β-blockers followed by an aromatic ring-opening reaction. In general, this study showed that β-blockers reacted favorably with sulfate radicals, and various transformation by-products could be produced. The result from the ecotoxicity assessment showed that almost all of the transformation by-products were less toxic than its parent compound. Therefore, a sulfate radical-based advanced oxidation process could be an effective method for the treatment of β-blockers in water.

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Acknowledgments

This research was financially supported by Ministry of Higher Education Malaysia (FRGS FP043-2013A).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Environmental Research Group, Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science, University of Malaya, 50603, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

    K. S. Tay & N. S. B. Ismail

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  1. K. S. Tay
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  2. N. S. B. Ismail
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Correspondence to K. S. Tay.

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Editorial responsibility: J. Aravind.

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Tay, K.S., Ismail, N.S.B. Degradation of β-blockers in water by sulfate radical-based oxidation: kinetics, mechanism and ecotoxicity assessment. Int. J. Environ. Sci. Technol. 13, 2495–2504 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s13762-016-1083-3

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s13762-016-1083-3

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