Evaluation of the efficiency of advanced chemical oxidation processes for the removal of Cefazolin from aqueous solutions
Journal of Behdasht dar Arseh (i.e., Health in the Field),
Vol. 14 No. 1 (1405),
24 October 2026
,
Page 5-16
https://doi.org/10.22037/jhf.v14i1.52811
Abstract
Background and Aims: The release of antibiotics into the environment through hospital wastewater and pharmaceutical effluents has become one of the major environmental and public health concerns. Cefazolin, a widely used first-generation cephalosporin antibiotic, has been frequently detected in wastewater treatment plant effluents and may contribute to the dissemination of antibiotic resistance and environmental hazards. The present study aimed to investigate and compare the performance of the peroxone (O3/H2O2) and advanced photo-oxidation (UV/O3/H2O2) processes for the removal of cefazolin from aqueous solutions.
Materials and Methods: This experimental laboratory-scale study was conducted in 2025. To evaluate the performance of the O₃/H₂O₂ and UV/O₃/H₂O₂ processes in removing cefazolin from aqueous solutions, the effects of operational parameters, including initial cefazolin concentration (1, 3, 5, 7, and 10 mg/L), solution pH (3, 7, and 9), ozone contact time (5 and 10 min), and UV irradiation time (15 and 25 min), were investigated. The residual concentration of cefazolin was determined using high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). After determining the optimum operating conditions, the removal efficiencies of the two processes were compared.
Results: The results demonstrated that under the optimum operating conditions, the UV/O3/H2O2 process achieved a cefazolin removal efficiency of 98.8% at an initial concentration of 1 mg/L, an ozone contact time of 10 min, and a UV irradiation time of 25 min. In contrast, the O₃/H₂O₂ process exhibited a relatively lower removal efficiency under the same conditions. Furthermore, the removal efficiency of both processes was significantly influenced by solution pH, initial cefazolin concentration, ozone contact time, and UV irradiation time, with the highest removal efficiency obtained at pH 9.
Conclusion: The findings of this study indicate that the UV/O3/H2O2 process is more effective than the O3/H2O2 process for the removal of cefazolin from aqueous media. Therefore, UV-based advanced oxidation processes can be considered an efficient and promising approach for the removal of persistent antibiotics and the improvement of wastewater treatment performance for antibiotic-contaminated effluents.
- Cefazolin
- Advanced photo-oxidation
- Peroxone
- UV irradiation
How to Cite
References
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