Degradation and mineralization of ofloxacin by ozonation and peroxone (O3/H2O2) process

The degradation and mineralization of ofloxacin (OFX) by ozonation and peroxone process (O-3/H2O2) was investigated. The influence of operational conditions and inorganic anions on the mineralization of OFX were also studied. Results showed that OFX could be rapidly oxidized by both O-3 alone and O-3/H2O2 process. The mineralization of OFX was significantly enhanced (55%) in peroxone process, compared with that in ozonation alone (30%). The direct oxidation of OFX by ozone molecules might account for the degradation of OFX in both ozonation and peroxone process, whereas, in the presence of H2O2, the improvement of the ozone decomposition and the formation of (OH)-O-center dot radicals were responsible for enhancing OFX mineralization. The applied dosage of H2O2 and O-3 was important for the performance of peroxone process in OFX mineralization. The addition of HCO3- and PO43- enhanced OFX mineralization, while the presence of Cl- and NO3- had negative effect on OFX mineralization in both ozonation and peroxone processes. Ozonation process might be a promising technology for the degradation of OFX, while the combination process of O-3/H2O2 could be an effective method for the improvement of the mineralization of refractory organic pollutants. (C) 2020 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.