Degradation method for the antiepileptic drug primidone in water using a hybrid high-frequency ultrasound and photo-Fenton process
Year: 2025
Type: article
Abstract: Antiepileptic drugs are considered contaminants of emerging concern in water and are resistant to conventional wastewater treatment processes. Therefore, their presence has been detected in surface waters, and their elimination/degradation requires effective treatment methods. In this research, ultrasound-based methods (e.g., sonolysis, sono-Fenton, and sono-photo-Fenton) were addressed in the degradation of antiepileptic drug primidone at laboratory scale. A high-frequency ultrasound (at 578 kHz and 20.4 W) was applied. Then, Fe 2+ ions (5 mg L -1 ) and a UVA lamp (4W) were added to the sonochemical reactor. After 75 min of treatment, the sono-photo-Fenton method showed better degradation efficiency (93%) than the sono-Fenton (83%) and sonolysis (62%) methods. Finally, the effectiveness of the degradation method by sono-photo-Fenton was tested in simulated pharmaceutical wastewater, degrading 72% of primidone at 75 min of treatment, indicating matrix effect plays a role in the degradation (which could be a potential application of ultrasound hybridized with the photo-Fenton process). • Three ultrasound-based treatment methods were applied to degrade primidone in water. • The sono-photo-Fenton method degraded 93% of primidone during 75 min of treatment. • The matrix influence on primidone degradation by sono-photo-Fenton was evaluated.
Source: MethodsX
Institution: National University of Engineering
Language: English
Subfield: Water Science and Technology
Field: Environmental Science
Domain: Physical Sciences
Open Access status: gold
Estimated APC paid: $1,260
OpenAlex ID: W4416718189