Removal of pharmaceutically active compounds from hospital wastewater by ozonation pretreatment
Abstract
Hospital wastewater includes many pharmaceutically active compounds (PhACs). Since this resulted in both PhACs distribution to the environment and development of antibiotic resistance in microorganisms, on-site treatment of hospital wastewater has gained importance. In this study, the removal of 21 PhACs consisting of 12 parent compounds and 9 main metabolites from hospital wastewater by ozonation was investigated. In this context, commonly used analgesics (Paracetamol, Diclofenac, Ibuprofen, and Naproxen, 4'-Hydroxydiclofenac, 5-Hydroxydiclofenac, 1-Hydroxyibuprofen, 2-Hydroxyibuprofen, Carboxyibuprofen, (S)-O-Desmethyl naproxen) and antibiotics (Ciprofloxacin, Sulfamethoxazole, Trimethoprim, Erythromycin, Metronidazole, Clarithromycin, Azithromycin, Clindamycin, N-Acetyl-Sulfamethoxazole, Sulfamethoxazole-β-D-Glucuronide, Clindamycin sulfoxide) were selected. PhAC analyses were performed by HPLC/MS-MS. The ozonation dose was between 0.05-5.0 mg O3/mg COD.
In real hospital wastewater, many of the selected PhACs were detected and total analgesic and antibiotic were determined as 22.9 and 40.6 µg/L, respectively. The results showed that detected PhACs were completely removed at 1.5 mg O3/mg COD. Sulfamethoxazole was degraded at the lowest dose of ozone (0.05mg O3/mg COD), while Ciprofloxacin and 2-Hydroxy ibuprofen were relatively resistant to non-stoichiometric doses of ozone. The removal efficiencies of Ciprofloxacin and 2-Hydroxy ibuprofen were determined as 77% and 37%, respectively, at 0.5 mg O3/mg COD. Additionally, COD removal was 48% at 1.5 mg O3/mg COD. As a result, pre-oxidation of hospital wastewater can be an effective method for on-site pretreatment of PhACs.
Keywords
Supporting Institution
Konya Technical University
Project Number
241001022
References
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Details
Primary Language
English
Subjects
Environmental Pollution and Prevention
Journal Section
Research Article
Publication Date
September 30, 2025
Submission Date
July 5, 2024
Acceptance Date
November 8, 2024
Published in Issue
Year 2025 Volume: 8 Number: 3
APA
Mansımlı, M., & Ateş, H. (2025). Removal of pharmaceutically active compounds from hospital wastewater by ozonation pretreatment. Environmental Research and Technology, 8(3), 571-580. https://doi.org/10.35208/ert.1511061
AMA
1.Mansımlı M, Ateş H. Removal of pharmaceutically active compounds from hospital wastewater by ozonation pretreatment. ERT. 2025;8(3):571-580. doi:10.35208/ert.1511061
Chicago
Mansımlı, Mahammad, and Havva Ateş. 2025. “Removal of Pharmaceutically Active Compounds from Hospital Wastewater by Ozonation Pretreatment”. Environmental Research and Technology 8 (3): 571-80. https://doi.org/10.35208/ert.1511061.
EndNote
Mansımlı M, Ateş H (September 1, 2025) Removal of pharmaceutically active compounds from hospital wastewater by ozonation pretreatment. Environmental Research and Technology 8 3 571–580.
IEEE
[1]M. Mansımlı and H. Ateş, “Removal of pharmaceutically active compounds from hospital wastewater by ozonation pretreatment”, ERT, vol. 8, no. 3, pp. 571–580, Sept. 2025, doi: 10.35208/ert.1511061.
ISNAD
Mansımlı, Mahammad - Ateş, Havva. “Removal of Pharmaceutically Active Compounds from Hospital Wastewater by Ozonation Pretreatment”. Environmental Research and Technology 8/3 (September 1, 2025): 571-580. https://doi.org/10.35208/ert.1511061.
JAMA
1.Mansımlı M, Ateş H. Removal of pharmaceutically active compounds from hospital wastewater by ozonation pretreatment. ERT. 2025;8:571–580.
MLA
Mansımlı, Mahammad, and Havva Ateş. “Removal of Pharmaceutically Active Compounds from Hospital Wastewater by Ozonation Pretreatment”. Environmental Research and Technology, vol. 8, no. 3, Sept. 2025, pp. 571-80, doi:10.35208/ert.1511061.
Vancouver
1.Mahammad Mansımlı, Havva Ateş. Removal of pharmaceutically active compounds from hospital wastewater by ozonation pretreatment. ERT. 2025 Sep. 1;8(3):571-80. doi:10.35208/ert.1511061