Abstract
The photodegradation of ibuprofen (IBP) in aqueous media was studied in this paper. The degradation mechanism, the reaction kinetics and toxicity of the photolysis products of IBP under UV–Vis irradiation were investigated by dissolved oxygen experiments, quenching experiments of reactive oxygen species (ROS), and toxicity evaluation utilizing Vibrio fischeri. The results demonstrated that the IBP degradation process could be fitted by the pseudo first-order kinetics model. The degradation of IBP by UV–Vis irradiation included direct photolysis and self-sensitization via ROS. The presence of dissolved oxygen inhibited the photodegradation of IBP, which indicated that direct photolysis was more rapid than the self-sensitization. The contribution rates of ·OH and 1O2 were 21.8 % and 38.6 % in self-sensitization, respectively. Ibuprofen generated a number of intermediate products that were more toxic than the base compound during photodegradation.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Boreen AL, Arnold WA, McNeill K (2003) Photodegradation of pharmaceuticals in the aquatic environment: a review. Aquat Sci 65:320–341. doi:10.1007/s00027-003-0672-7
Boreen AL, Edhlund BL, Cotner JB, McNeill K (2008) Indirect photodegradation of dissolved free amino acids: the contribution of singlet oxygen and the differential reactivity of DOM from various sources. Environ Sci Technol 42:5492–5498. doi:10.1021/es800185d
Buser H-R, Poiger T, Müller MD (1999) Occurrence and environmental behaviour of the chiral pharmaceutical drug ibuprofen in surface waters and in wastewater. Environ Sci Technol 33:2529–2535. doi:10.1021/es981014w
Carballa M et al (2004) Behavior of pharmaceuticals, cosmetics and hormones in a sewage treatment plant. Water Res 38:2918–2926. doi:10.1016/j.watres.2004.03.029
Carlos L, Mártire DO, Gonzalez MC, Gomis J, Bernabeu A, Amat AM, Arques A (2012) Photochemical fate of a mixture of emerging pollutants in the presence of humic substances. Water Res 46:4732–4740. doi:10.1016/j.watres.2012.06.022
Castell JV, Gomez MJ, Miranda MA, Morera IM (1987) Photolytic degradation of ibuprofen. Toxicity of the isolated photoproducts on fibroblasts and erythrocytes. Photochem Photobiol 46:991–996. doi:10.1111/j.1751-1097.1987.tb04882.x
Contardo-Jara V, Lorenz C, Pflugmacher S, Nützmann G, Kloas W, Wiegand C (2011) Exposure to human pharmaceuticals Carbamazepine Ibuprofen and Bezafibrate causes molecular effects in Dreissena polymorpha. Aquat Toxicol 105:428–437. doi:10.1016/j.aquatox.2011.07.017
David A, Pancharatna K (2009) Developmental anomalies induced by a non-selective COX inhibitor (ibuprofen) in zebrafish (Danio rerio). Environ Toxicol Pharmacol 27:390–395. doi:10.1016/j.etap.2009.01.002
Doll TE, Frimmel FH (2003) Fate of pharmaceuticals—photodegradation by simulated solar UV-light. Chemosphere 52:1757–1769. doi:10.1016/s0045-6535(03)00446-6
Elorriaga Y, Marino DJ, Carriquiriborde P, Ronco AE (2012) Human pharmaceuticals in wastewaters from urbanized areas of Argentina. Bull Environ Contam Toxicol 90:397–400. doi:10.1007/s00128-012-0919-x
Hofmann J, Freier U, Wecks M, Hohmann S (2007) Degradation of diclofenac in water by heterogeneous catalytic oxidation with H2O2. Appl Catal B Environ 70:447–451. doi:10.1016/j.apcatb.2005.11.023
Jacobs LE, Fimmen RL, Chin Y-P, Mash HE, Weavers LK (2011) Fulvic acid mediated photolysis of ibuprofen in water. Water Res 45:4449–4458. doi:10.1016/j.watres.2011.05.041
Miolo G, Viola G, Vedaldi D, Dall’Acqua F, Fravolini A, Tabarrini O, Cecchetti V (2002) In vitro phototoxic properties of new 6-desfluoro and 6-fluoro-8-methylquinolones. Toxicol In Vitro 16:683–693. doi:10.1016/S0887-2333(02)00093-0
Packer JL, Werner JJ, Latch DE, McNeill K, Arnold WA (2003) Photochemical fate of pharmaceuticals in the environment: naproxen, diclofenac, clofibric acid, and ibuprofen. Aquat Sci 65:342–351. doi:10.1007/s00027-003-0671-8
Parolini M, Binelli A, Provini A (2011) Chronic effects induced by ibuprofen on the freshwater bivalve Dreissena polymorpha. Ecotoxicol Environ Saf 74:1586–1594. doi:10.1016/j.ecoenv.2011.04.025
Radjenović J, Petrović M, Barceló D (2009) Fate and distribution of pharmaceuticals in wastewater and sewage sludge of the conventional activated sludge (CAS) and advanced membrane bioreactor (MBR) treatment. Water Res 43:831–841. doi:10.1016/j.watres.2008.11.043
Saravanan M, Devi KU, Malarvizhi A, Ramesh M (2012) Effects of Ibuprofen on hematological, biochemical and enzymological parameters of blood in an Indian major carp, Cirrhinus mrigala. Environ Toxicol Pharmacol 34:14–22. doi:10.1016/j.etap.2012.02.005
Silva JCCd, Teodoro JAR, Afonso RJdCF, Aquino SF, Augusti R (2014) Photolysis and photocatalysis of ibuprofen in aqueous medium: characterization of by-products via liquid chromatography coupled to high-resolution mass spectrometry and assessment of their toxicities against Artemia salina. J Mass Spectrom 49:145–153. doi:10.1002/jms.3320
Szabó RK, Megyeri C, Illés E, Gajda-Schrantz K, Mazellier P, Dombi A (2011) Phototransformation of ibuprofen and ketoprofen in aqueous solutions. Chemosphere 84:1658–1663. doi:10.1016/j.chemosphere.2011.05.012
Ternes TA et al (2002) Removal of pharmaceuticals during drinking water treatment. Environ Sci Technol 36:3855–3863. doi:10.1021/es015757k
Trenholm RA, Vanderford BJ, Holady JC, Rexing DJ, Snyder SA (2006) Broad range analysis of endocrine disruptors and pharmaceuticals using gas chromatography and liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry. Chemosphere 65:1990–1998. doi:10.1016/j.chemosphere.2006.07.004
Vione D et al (2011) Modelling the photochemical fate of ibuprofen in surface waters. Water Res 45:6725–6736. doi:10.1016/j.watres.2011.10.014
Yamamoto H et al (2009) Persistence and partitioning of eight selected pharmaceuticals in the aquatic environment: laboratory photolysis, biodegradation, and sorption experiments. Water Res 43:351–362. doi:10.1016/j.watres.2008.10.039
Zhang N, Liu GG, Liu HJ, Wang YL, He ZW, Wang G (2011) Diclofenac photodegradation under simulated sunlight: effect of different forms of nitrogen and Kinetics. J Hazard Mater 192:411–418. doi:10.1016/j.jhazmat.2011.05.038
Zheng BG, Zheng Z, Zhang JB, Luo XZ, Wang JQ, Liu Q, Wang LH (2011) Degradation of the emerging contaminant ibuprofen in aqueous solution by gamma irradiation. Desalination 276:379–385. doi:10.1016/j.desal.2011.03.078
Acknowledgments
This study was supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (No. 21377031).
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Li, F.H., Yao, K., Lv, W.Y. et al. Photodegradation of Ibuprofen Under UV–Vis Irradiation: Mechanism and Toxicity of Photolysis Products. Bull Environ Contam Toxicol 94, 479–483 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00128-015-1494-8
Received:
Accepted:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00128-015-1494-8