Performance Evaluation of the Photo-Fenton Process in the Removal of Vancomycin Antibiotic from Aqueous Solutions and Assessment of the Impact of Influential Parameters on the Process

The present study aimed to investigate the efficiency of the Photo-Fenton process in removing the antibiotic vancomycin from an aqueous solution and assessing the influence of effective parameters. In this study, degradation of the antibiotic vancomycin under UV-C lamp irradiation with a power of ۲۴ watts (wavelength range ۱۰۰-۲۸۰ nm) was investigated under various conditions. Factors such as pH (۲, ۴, ۶, ۸, and ۱۰), vancomycin concentration ( ۲۰, ۳۰, ۴۰, ۵۰, and ۶۰ mg/L), hydrogen peroxide concentration ( ۲۰, ۳۰, ۴۰, ۵۰, and ۶۰ mg/L), iron sulfate concentration (۲۰, ۳۰, ۴۰, ۵۰, and ۶۰ mg/L), and contact time ( ۳۰, ۴۵, ۶۰, ۷۵, and ۹۰ min) at a stirring speed of ۲۵۰ rpm were examined using the Photo-Fenton process UV (H۲O۲/Fe۲+). To optimize these conditions, the Response Surface Methodology (RSM) with a Central Composite Design (CCD) was employed to design the experiments, analyze the results, and optimize the process across five levels: -α, -۱, ۰, +۱, and +α. Under optimal conditions, the removal efficiency of vancomycin reached ۹۱.۲۶% after ۷۵ min. The optimal parameters were determined as follows: initial vancomycin concentration of ۲۰ mg/L, hydrogen peroxide concentration of ۵۰ mg/L (equivalent to ۱.۴۷ m/mol), iron sulfate concentration of ۵۰ mg/L (equivalent to ۰.۱۷۴ m/mol), and pH of ۴. The regression coefficient R² of ۰.۹۷۴۳ indicates that the removal of vancomycin can be well described by the model. Analysis of variance, (AN, OVA) confirmed the adequacy of the selected quadratic model for vancomycin removal. In this study, the predicted values (Pred.R۲ = ۰.۷۴۷۴) and the actual values obtained (Adj.R² = ۰.۷۵۶۷) are close. Real sample analysis showed an ۸۵% removal efficiency for vancomycin. The results of the present study showed that the Photo-Fenton process UV (H۲O۲/Fe۲+) has a high efficiency in removing vancomycin and other antibiotics from aqueous solutions.

کلیدواژه ها:

Advanced oxidation processes ، pollution ، Toxic Compounds ، Degradation ، Photo-Fenton ، Vancomycin