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Degradation and acute toxicity removal of the antidepressant Fluoxetine (Prozac®) in aqueous systems by electron beam irradiation

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Abstract

Electron beam irradiation (EBI) has been considered an advanced technology for the treatment of water and wastewater, whereas very few previous investigations reported its use for removing pharmaceutical pollutants. In this study, the degradation of fluoxetine (FLX), an antidepressant marketed as Prozac®, was investigated by using EBI at FLX initial concentration of 19.4 ± 0.2 mg L−1. More than 90 % FLX degradation was achieved at 0.5 kGy, with FLX below the detection limit (0.012 mg L−1) at doses higher than 2.5 kGy. The elucidation of organic byproducts performed using direct injection mass spectrometry, along with the results of ion chromatography, indicated hydroxylation of FLX molecules with release of fluoride and nitrate anions. Nevertheless, about 80 % of the total organic carbon concentration remained even for 7.5 kGy or higher doses. The decreases in acute toxicity achieved 86.8 and 9.6 % for Daphnia similis and Vibrio fischeri after EBI exposure at 5 kGy, respectively. These results suggest that EBI could be an alternative to eliminate FLX and to decrease residual toxicity from wastewater generated in pharmaceutical formulation facilities, although further investigation is needed for correlating the FLX degradation mechanism with the toxicity results.

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Acknowledgments

The authors thank the Brazilian National Council of Scientific and Technological Development, CNPq, the International Atomic Energy Agency and São Paulo Research Foundation (FAPESP) grants #2013/50218-2 and #2014/17996-4 for the financial support. The authors are also grateful to the LAPAt Laboratory (Institute of Astronomy, Geophysics, and Atmospheric Sciences, University of São Paulo) for the ion chromatography analysis. They are also grateful to Dr. Maria Anita Mendes (Department of Chemical Engineering, University of São Paulo) for her valuable assistance with the UHR-QqTOF mass spectrometry analysis.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Nuclear and Energy Research Institute, Radiation Technology Center—IPEN-CNEN/SP, Av. Prof. Lineu Prestes, 2242, CEP 05508-000, São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil

    Vanessa Honda Ogihara Silva & Sueli Ivone Borrely

  2. Department of Chemical Engineering, University of São Paulo, Av. Prof. Luciano Gualberto, 380, CEP 05508-010, São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil

    Ana Paula dos Santos Batista & Antonio Carlos Silva Costa Teixeira

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  1. Vanessa Honda Ogihara Silva
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  2. Ana Paula dos Santos Batista
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  3. Antonio Carlos Silva Costa Teixeira
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  4. Sueli Ivone Borrely
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Correspondence to Antonio Carlos Silva Costa Teixeira.

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Responsible editor: Angeles Blanco

Highlights

• The feasibility of electron beam irradiation (EBI) to remove fluoxetine (FLX) from water is shown for the first time.

• The effect of the radiation dose needed to remove FLX and acute toxicity was investigated.

• EBI resulted in the reduction of acute toxicity of FLX solutions at low irradiation doses.

• Byproducts were elucidated and the pathway of FLX degradation by EBI is proposed.

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Silva, V.H.O., dos Santos Batista, A.P., Silva Costa Teixeira, A.C. et al. Degradation and acute toxicity removal of the antidepressant Fluoxetine (Prozac®) in aqueous systems by electron beam irradiation. Environ Sci Pollut Res 23, 11927–11936 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-016-6410-1

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