Degradation of Pharmaceuticals by Advanced Oxidation Processes

Dear Colleagues,

Advanced oxidation processes (AOPs) are chemical treatment processes designed to remove organic and, sometimes, inorganic pollutants from water and wastewater by via the in situ generation of highly reactive radicals, mainly hydroxyl radicals. However, nowadays, other radicals such as sulfate chlorine radicals and organic radicals are also used in AOPs. Recently, ferrate(VI), FeO₄²⁻, has found wide application in AOPs. Pharmaceuticals are often designed to be persistent in order to interact with living organisms at very low concentrations. Only highly reactive species can cause degradation of pharmaceuticals. Conventional wastewater treatment plant (WWTPs) are not designed to remove pharmaceuticals. Furthermore, veterinary pharmaceutical used in agriculture and aquaculture are often directly flushed into the environment. Pharmaceuticals are not completely removed by drinking water treatment plants; thus, the presence of their residuals and metabolites in the environment may pose a threat to human health. Moreover, the presence of certain pharmaceuticals in the environment may induce antimicrobial resistance. Therefore, there is a need for new treatment technologies to reduce the emission of pharmaceuticals into the environment.

The main objective of this Special Issue is to publish outstanding papers presenting the latest research in the field of AOPs and their application in the removal of pharmaceuticals from water and wastewater.

The Special Issue aims at presenting a collection of review articles and research papers on the following, non-exhaustive list of topics:

• Formation of byproducts and their toxicity and mechanisms for degradation of pharmaceuticals during AOPs.
• Application of novel nanomaterials in AOPs for removal and degradation of pharmaceuticals.
• Application of iron and sulfate species in AOPs for degradation of pharmaceuticals.
• Application of photolysis and photocatalysis in AOPs for degradation of pharmaceuticals.
• Application of electrolysis in AOPs for degradation of pharmaceuticals
• Application of electron beam and γ radiation for elucidation of the degradation mechanism of pharmaceuticals in AOPs.
• Application of peroxides in AOPs for degradation of pharmaceuticals.
• Application of photosensibilization processes for degradation of pharmaceuticals.
• Application of hydraulic cavitation processes for degradation of pharmaceuticals.
• Economic and environmental studies of AOPs applications.

Dr. Przemysław Drzewicz
Prof. Grzegorz Nałęcz-Jawecki
Dr. Maciej Thomas
Guest Editors

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• pharmaceuticals
• advanced oxidation processes
• toxicity
• photolysis
• photocatalysis
• nanomaterials
• electron beam and γ radiation