Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Degradation of quinolone antibiotic, norfloxacin, in aqueous solution using gamma-ray irradiation

  • Research Article
  • Published:
Environmental Science and Pollution Research Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

This study reports the efficiency of gamma-ray irradiation to degrade quinolone antibiotic, norfloxacin, in aqueous solution. Laboratory batch experiments were conducted to determine the “pseudo-first” order degradation kinetics of norfloxacin in the concentration ranges of 3.4–16.1 mg L−1 by gamma-ray irradiation. The dose constant was found to be dependent on the initial concentration of norfloxacin and gamma-ray irradiation dose rate (D r). The saturation of norfloxacin sample solutions with N2, air or N2O, and the presence of tert-butanol and 2-propanol showed that •OH played more crucial role in the degradation of norfloxacin. The second order rate constants of •OH, eaq −, and •H with norfloxacin were calculated to be 8.81 × 109, 9.54 × 108, and 1.10 × 109 M−1 s−1, respectively. The effects of various additives including CO3 2−, HCO3 −, NO3 −, NO2 −, and thiourea and the pH of the medium on the degradation of norfloxacin were also investigated. Norfloxacin degradation was lower in surface water and wastewater than in ultrapure water. Several degradation byproducts of norfloxacin were identified from which the possible degradation pathway was proposed.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3
Fig. 4
Fig. 5
Fig. 6
Fig. 7

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • An T, Yang H, Li G, Song W, Cooper WJ, Nie X (2010a) Kinetics and mechanism of advanced oxidation processes (AOPs) in degradation of ciprofloxacin in water. Appl Catal B-Environ 94:288–294

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • An T, Yang H, Song W, Li G, Luo H, Cooper WJ (2010b) Mechanistic considerations for the advanced oxidation treatment of fluoroquinolone pharmaceutical compounds using TiO2 heterogeneous catalysis. J Phys Chem A 114:2569–2575

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Babić S, Periša M, Škorić I (2013) Photolytic degradation of norfloxacin, enrofloxacin and ciprofloxacin in various aqueous media. Chemosphere 91:1635–1642

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Basfar AA, Khan HM, Al-Shahrani AA, Cooper WJ (2005) Radiation induced decomposition of methyl tert-butyl ether in water in presence of chloroform: kinetic modelling. Water Res 39:2085–95

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Basha S, Keane D, Nolan K, Oelgemöller M, Lawler J, Tobin JM, Morrissey A (2015) UV-induced photocatalytic degradation of aqueous acetaminophen: the role of adsorption and reaction kinetics. Environ Sci Pollut Res 22:2219–2230

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Bielski BH, Cabelli DE, Arudi RL, Ross AB (1985) Reactivity of HO2/O−2 radicals in aqueous solution. J Phys Chem Ref Data 14:1041–1100

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Buxton GV, Greenstock CL, Helman WP, Ross AB (1988) Critical review of rate constants for reactions of hydrated electrons, hydrogen atoms and hydroxyl radicals (•OH/•O−) in aqueous solution. J Phys Chem Ref Data 17:513–886

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Chu L, Wang J, Liu Y (2015) Degradation of sulfamethazine in sewage sludge mixture by gamma irradiation. Radiat Phys Chem 108:102–105

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • de Souza Santos LV, Meireles AM, Lange LC (2015) Degradation of antibiotics norfloxacin by Fenton, UV and UV/H2O2. J Environ Manage 154:8–12

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Drzewicz P, Trojanowicz M, Zona R, Solar S, Gehringer P (2004) Decomposition of 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid by ozonation, ionizing radiation as well as ozonation combined with ionizing radiation. Radiat Phys Chem 69:281–287

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • González-Pleiter M, Gonzalo S, Rodea-Palomares I, Leganés F, Rosal R, Boltes K, Marco E, Fernández-Piñas F (2013) Toxicity of five antibiotics and their mixtures towards photosynthetic aquatic organisms: implications for environmental risk assessment. Water Res 47:2050–2064

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Gracia-Lor E, Sancho JV, Serrano R, Hernandez F (2012) Occurrence and removal of pharmaceuticals in wastewater treatment plants at the Spanish Mediterranean area of Valencia. Chemosphere 87:453–462

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Guo Z, Zhu S, Zhao Y, Cao H, Liu F (2015) Radiolytic decomposition of ciprofloxacin using γ irradiation in aqueous solution. Environ Sci Pollut Res 22:15772–15780

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Hernando MD, Mezcua M, Fernandez-Alba AR, Barcelo D (2006) Environmental risk assessment of pharmaceutical residues in wastewater effluents, surface waters and sediments. Talanta 69:334–42

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Hsieh LL, Lin YL, Wu CH (2004) Degradation of MTBE in dilute aqueous solution by gamma radiolysis. Water Res 38:3627–33

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Khan JA, He X, Khan HM, Shah NS, Dionysiou DD (2013) Oxidative degradation of atrazine in aqueous solution by UV/H2O2/Fe2+, UV/S2O8 2−/Fe2+ and UV/HSO5 −/Fe2+ processes: a comparative study. Chem Eng J 218:376–383

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Khan JA, Han C, Shah NS, Khan HM, Nadagouda MN, Likodimos V, Falaras P, O’Shea K, Dionysiou DD (2014a) Ultraviolet–visible light-sensitive high surface area phosphorous-fluorine-co-doped TiO2 nanoparticles for the degradation of atrazine in water. Environ Eng Sci 31:435–446

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Khan JA, Shah NS, Nawaz S, Ismail M, Rehman F, Khan HM (2014b) Role of eaq −,•OH and H• in radiolytic degradation of atrazine: a kinetic and mechanistic approach. J Hazard Mater 278:40–48

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Khan JA, Shah NS, Khan HM (2015) Decomposition of atrazine by ionizing radiation: kinetics, degradation pathways and influence of radical scavengers. Sep Purif Technol 156(Part 2):140–147

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Kimura A, Osawa M, Taguchi M (2012) Decomposition of persistent pharmaceuticals in wastewater by ionizing radiation. Radiat Phys Chem 81:1508–1512

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Kolpin DW, Furlong ET, Meyer MT, Thurman EM, Zaugg SD, Barber LB, Buxton HT (2002) Pharmaceuticals, hormones, and other organic wastewater contaminants in US streams, 1999–2000: a national reconnaissance. Environ Sci Technol 36:1202–1211

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Kümmerer K, Al-Ahmad A, Mersch-Sundermann V (2000) Biodegradability of some antibiotics, elimination of the genotoxicity and affection of wastewater bacteria in a simple test. Chemosphere 40:701–710

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Lai CC, Freeman GR (1990) Solvent effects on the reactivity of solvated electrons with charged solutes in methanol/water and ethanol/water mixed solvents. J Phys Chem 94:4891–4896

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Leung HW, Minh TB, Murphy MB, Lam JC, So MK, Martin M, Lam PK, Richardson BJ (2012) Distribution, fate and risk assessment of antibiotics in sewage treatment plants in Hong Kong, South China. Environ Int 42:1–9

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Lindberg RH, Olofsson U, Rendahl P, Johansson MI, Tysklind M, Andersson BAV (2006) Behavior of fluoroquinolones and trimethoprim during mechanical, chemical, and active sludge treatment of sewage water and digestion of sludge. Environ Sci Technol 40:1042–1048

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Liu WF, Zhang J, Zhang CL, Ren L (2011) Sorption of norfloxacin by lotus stalk-based activated carbon and iron-doped activated alumina: mechanisms, isotherms and kinetics. Chem Eng J 171:431–438

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Liu N, Wang T, Zheng M, Lei J, Tang L, Hu G, Xu G, Wu M (2015) Radiation induced degradation of antiepileptic drug primidone in aqueous solution. Chem Eng J 270:66–72

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Nebot C, Falcon R, Boyd KG, Gibb SW (2015) Introduction of human pharmaceuticals from wastewater treatment plants into the aquatic environment: a rural perspective. Environ Sci Pollut Res, 1–10. doi: 10.1007/s11356-015-4234-z.

  • Oberlé K, Capdeville M-J, Berthe T, Budzinski H, Petit F (2012) Evidence for a complex relationship between antibiotics and antibiotic-resistant Escherichia coli: from medical center patients to a receiving environment. Environ Sci Technol 46:1859–1868

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Okuda T, Kobayashi Y, Nagao R, Yamashita N, Tanaka H, Tanaka S, Fujii S, Konishi C, Houwa I (2008) Removal efficiency of 66 pharmaceuticals during wastewater treatment process in Japan. Water Sci Technol: J Int Assoc Water Pollution Res 57:65–71

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Parsons S (2004) Advanced oxidation processes for water and wastewater treatment. IWA Publishing, London

    Google Scholar 

  • Prieto A, Moder M, Rodil R, Adrian L, Marco-Urrea E (2011) Degradation of the antibiotics norfloxacin and ciprofloxacin by a white-rot fungus and identification of degradation products. Bioresour Technol 102:10987–95

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Rivas J, Encinas A, Beltran F, Graham N (2011) Application of advanced oxidation processes to doxycycline and norfloxacin removal from water. J Environ Sci Heal A 46:944–51

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Rosal R, Rodriguez A, Perdigon-Melon JA, Petre A, Garcia-Calvo E, Gomez MJ, Aguera A, Fernandez-Alba AR (2010) Occurrence of emerging pollutants in urban wastewater and their removal through biological treatment followed by ozonation. Water Res 44:578–588

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Sánchez-Polo M, López-Peñalver J, Prados-Joya G, Ferro-García MA, Rivera-Utrilla J (2009) Gamma irradiation of pharmaceutical compounds, nitroimidazoles, as a new alternative for water treatment. Water Res 43:4028–4036

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Santoke H, Song W, Cooper WJ, Greaves J, Miller GE (2009) Free-radical-induced oxidative and reductive degradation of fluoroquinolone pharmaceuticals: kinetic studies and degradation mechanism. J Phys Chem A 113:7846–51

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Santos L, Meireles A, Lange L (2015) Degradation of antibiotics norfloxacin by Fenton, UV and UV/H2O2. J Environ Manage 154:8–12

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Sayed M, Pingfeng F, Khan HM, Zhang P (2014) Effect of isopropanol on microstructure and activity of TiO2 films with dominant {001} facets for photocatalytic degradation of bezafibrate. Int J Photoenergy 2014:1–11

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Sayed M, Fu P, Shah LA, Khan MH, Nisar J, Ismail M, Zhang P (2015a) VUV-photocatalytic degradation of bezafibrate by hydrothermally synthesized enhanced {001} facets TiO2/Ti film. J Phys Chem A. doi:10.1021/acs.jpca.5b10502

    Google Scholar 

  • Sayed M, Ismail M, Khan S, Tabassum S, Khan HM (2015b) Degradation of ciprofloxacin in water by advanced oxidation process: kinetics study, influencing parameters and degradation pathways. Environ Technol 1–35. doi 10.1080/09593330.2015.1075597.

  • Shah NS, Khan JA, Nawaz S, Khan HM (2014) Role of aqueous electron and hydroxyl radical in the removal of endosulfan from aqueous solution using gamma irradiation. J Hazard Mater 278:40–48

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Shah NS, Khan JA, Nawaz S, Ismail M, Khan K, Khan HM (2015) Kinetic and mechanism investigation on the gamma irradiation induced degradation of endosulfan sulfate. Chemosphere 121:18–25

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Song W, Cooper WJ, Mezyk SP, Greaves J, Peake BM (2008) Free radical destruction of β-blockers in aqueous solution. Environ Sci Technol 42:1256–1261

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Spinks JWT, Woods RJ (1990) An introduction to radiation chemistry, 3rd edn. Wiley, New York

    Google Scholar 

  • Wammer KH, Korte AR, Lundeen RA, Sundberg JE, McNeill K, Arnold WA (2013) Direct photochemistry of three fluoroquinolone antibacterials: norfloxacin, ofloxacin, and enrofloxacin. Water Res 47:439–448

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Wang P, He YL, Huang CH (2010) Oxidation of fluoroquinolone antibiotics and structurally related amines by chlorine dioxide: reaction kinetics, product and pathway evaluation. Water Res 44:5989–98

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Watkinson AJ, Murby EJ, Costanzo SD (2007) Removal of antibiotics in conventional and advanced wastewater treatment: implications for environmental discharge and wastewater recycling. Water Res 41:4164–4176

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Woods RJ, Pikaev AK (1994) Applied radiation chemistry. Wiley, New York

    Google Scholar 

  • Xu WH, Zhang G, Zou SC, Li XD, Liu YC (2007) Determination of selected antibiotics in the Victoria Harbour and the Pearl River, South China using high-performance liquid chromatography-electrospray ionization tandem mass spectrometry. Environ Pollut 145:672–679

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgments

HMK is grateful to the Higher Education Commission of Pakistan (HEC) for research project (HEC 20–376) and MS also acknowledges HEC for financial support of this work under research project SRGP No. 730.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Radiation and Environmental Chemistry Laboratory, National Centre of Excellence in Physical Chemistry, University of Peshawar, Peshawar, 25120, Pakistan

    Murtaza Sayed, Javed Ali Khan, Luqman Ali Shah, Noor S. Shah, Hasan M. Khan & Faiza Rehman

  2. Department of Chemistry, COMSATS Institute of Information Technology, Abbotabad, 22060, Pakistan

    Murtaza Sayed, Abdur Rahman Khan & Asad M. Khan

  3. Department of Environmental Sciences, COMSATS Institute of Information Technology, Vehari, 61100, Pakistan

    Noor S. Shah

Authors
  1. Murtaza Sayed
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Javed Ali Khan
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Luqman Ali Shah
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Noor S. Shah
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. Hasan M. Khan
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  6. Faiza Rehman
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  7. Abdur Rahman Khan
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  8. Asad M. Khan
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding authors

Correspondence to Murtaza Sayed or Hasan M. Khan.

Additional information

Responsible editor: Ester Heath

Electronic supplementary material

Below is the link to the electronic supplementary material.

ESM 1

(DOC 584 kb)

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Sayed, M., Khan, J.A., Shah, L.A. et al. Degradation of quinolone antibiotic, norfloxacin, in aqueous solution using gamma-ray irradiation. Environ Sci Pollut Res 23, 13155–13168 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-016-6475-x

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-016-6475-x

Keywords

Search

Navigation