A Comparative Study on the Effect of UV-Irradiation on the Photochemical Oxidation of Aqueous Oxytetracycline
Author : Cempron, Andell Joy Sumatra
Major Adviser : Arocena, Rhebner E.
Committee Members : Gatdula, Kristel M.; Eusebio, Ramon Christian P.
Year : 2020
Month : July
Type : Thesis
Degree: BS
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Abstract
The occurrence of oxytetracycline in both soil and aquatic environments possesses significant effects on bacterial populations due to their emergence at a high frequency which could cause resistance and can affect human health. This study focuses on reviewing UV photolysis, UV/O3, UV/H2O2, and Photo-Fenton processes on the degradation of aqueous oxytetracycline. Mechanisms, degradation, and mineralization of oxytetracycline were obtained from each photochemical system to determine which is the most effective. The limitations of the process were also identified, and recommendations were determined to improve the process. UV photolysis can yield up to 90% degradation of oxytetracycline at low concentrations; however, even aided with a photosensitizer, it still resulted in poor mineralization. The addition of O3 to UV photolysis also resulted in poor mineralization even at 100% degradation. With H2O2, the system obtained 100% degradation and 10% mineralization, which is relatively less effective compared to the Photo-Fenton system, which obtained 100% degradation and 90% mineralization. Based on these results, the Photo-Fenton system was determined to be a more effective process for degradation of oxytetracycline and likely to be used for industrial wastewater treatment and recommended to combine with biological treatment in two-step treatment processes.
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