TY - JOUR
T1 - Understanding electrochemical treatment of real fresh and hydrolyzed urine matrices to remove trace pharmaceuticals
AU - Felisardo, Raul José Alves
AU - Brillas, Enric
AU - Boyer, Treavor H.
AU - Cavalcanti, Eliane Bezerra
AU - Garcia-Segura, Sergi
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© 2024 Elsevier B.V.
PY - 2024/8/21
Y1 - 2024/8/21
N2 - Paracetamol (PCT) is a widely prescribed pharmaceutical. PCT is partially excreted in the urine after uptake. It has been detected in many natural waters worldwide. Trace concentrations of PCT detrimentally affect the environment. Direct treatment of PCT in urine can alleviate and minimize unintended release to the environment. This work presents the remediation of several urine matrices contaminated with PCT by electrochemical oxidation (EO) with a boron-doped diamond (BDD) anode. Effective drug abatement was found for PTC concentrations ≤ 20 mg L−1 in fresh synthetic urine at 48 mA cm−2. Uric acid was also completely removed, but only partial degradation was found for creatinine and urea. While 91 % of 2.5 mg L−1 PCT was removed in hydrolyzed real urine, only 48 % was degraded in fresh real urine. Release of N-species was quantified and carboxylic acids resulting from PCT degradation identified. The electrochemical treatment attained complete removal of PCT.
AB - Paracetamol (PCT) is a widely prescribed pharmaceutical. PCT is partially excreted in the urine after uptake. It has been detected in many natural waters worldwide. Trace concentrations of PCT detrimentally affect the environment. Direct treatment of PCT in urine can alleviate and minimize unintended release to the environment. This work presents the remediation of several urine matrices contaminated with PCT by electrochemical oxidation (EO) with a boron-doped diamond (BDD) anode. Effective drug abatement was found for PTC concentrations ≤ 20 mg L−1 in fresh synthetic urine at 48 mA cm−2. Uric acid was also completely removed, but only partial degradation was found for creatinine and urea. While 91 % of 2.5 mg L−1 PCT was removed in hydrolyzed real urine, only 48 % was degraded in fresh real urine. Release of N-species was quantified and carboxylic acids resulting from PCT degradation identified. The electrochemical treatment attained complete removal of PCT.
KW - Acetaminophen
KW - Boron-doped diamond
KW - Electrochemical oxidation
KW - Fresh real urine
KW - Fresh synthetic urine
KW - Hydrolyzed real urine
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85187691574&partnerID=8YFLogxK
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U2 - 10.1016/j.seppur.2024.127016
DO - 10.1016/j.seppur.2024.127016
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:85187691574
SN - 1383-5866
VL - 342
JO - Separation and Purification Technology
JF - Separation and Purification Technology
M1 - 127016
ER -