Effect of sunlight-initiated processes on dexamethasone degradation in liquid samples

Dexamethasone is a widely used drug, largely excreted unmetabolized, and in this form it enters the environment posing a risk of causing hormonal imbalances in humans and animals. The effectiveness of heterogeneous photocatalysis under controlled conditions of simulated sunlight using three photocat...

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Main Authors: Joanna Wilk, Paulina Sowik, Klaudia Stando, Adrianna Grabowska, Ewa Felis, Sylwia Bajkacz
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Elsevier 2025-01-01
Series:Desalination and Water Treatment
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Online Access:http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S194439862500058X
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author Joanna Wilk
Paulina Sowik
Klaudia Stando
Adrianna Grabowska
Ewa Felis
Sylwia Bajkacz
author_facet Joanna Wilk
Paulina Sowik
Klaudia Stando
Adrianna Grabowska
Ewa Felis
Sylwia Bajkacz
author_sort Joanna Wilk
collection DOAJ
description Dexamethasone is a widely used drug, largely excreted unmetabolized, and in this form it enters the environment posing a risk of causing hormonal imbalances in humans and animals. The effectiveness of heterogeneous photocatalysis under controlled conditions of simulated sunlight using three photocatalysts, TiO2 anatase, TiO2 Degussa P25 and ZnO, in degrading dexamethasone at a concentration of 1 mg L−1 was investigated. TiO2 Degussa P25 proved to be the most effective semiconductor, degrading 98.93 % of the compound within 10 minutes. The effect of methanol used as a solvent for dexamethasone added to the reaction mixture was also determined. In each case, it slowed down the reaction rate, compared to an aqueous solution of the standard. Five transformation products formed during irradiation of the model samples were identified. The most effective photocatalyst was used to degrade dexamethasone in environmental matrices. For river and tap water, satisfactory removal of 94.7–98.5 % of the drug was achieved within 60 minutes. Photocatalysis in municipal wastewater showed 79.3 % degradation after 120 minutes. Three transformation products were present in environmental samples after the process. Additionally, characterization of the environmental samples was performed, demonstrating that mineralization of dexamethasone during photocatalysis occurred only to a limited extent.
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spelling doaj-art-67f1ef46e3d247bcbb0861be9cc447d32025-08-20T02:45:53ZengElsevierDesalination and Water Treatment1944-39862025-01-0132110104210.1016/j.dwt.2025.101042Effect of sunlight-initiated processes on dexamethasone degradation in liquid samplesJoanna Wilk0Paulina Sowik1Klaudia Stando2Adrianna Grabowska3Ewa Felis4Sylwia Bajkacz5Silesian University of Technology, Faculty of Chemistry, Department of Inorganic Chemistry, Analytical Chemistry and Electrochemistry, B. Krzywoustego 6 Str., Gliwice 44-100, Poland; Corresponding author.Silesian University of Technology, Faculty of Power and Environmental Engineering, Environmental Biotechnology Department, Akademicka 2 Str., Gliwice 44-100, PolandSilesian University of Technology, Faculty of Chemistry, Department of Inorganic Chemistry, Analytical Chemistry and Electrochemistry, B. Krzywoustego 6 Str., Gliwice 44-100, PolandSilesian University of Technology, Faculty of Chemistry, Department of Inorganic Chemistry, Analytical Chemistry and Electrochemistry, B. Krzywoustego 6 Str., Gliwice 44-100, PolandSilesian University of Technology, Faculty of Power and Environmental Engineering, Environmental Biotechnology Department, Akademicka 2 Str., Gliwice 44-100, Poland; Silesian University of Technology, Biotechnology Centre, B. Krzywoustego 8 Str., Gliwice 44-100, PolandSilesian University of Technology, Faculty of Chemistry, Department of Inorganic Chemistry, Analytical Chemistry and Electrochemistry, B. Krzywoustego 6 Str., Gliwice 44-100, Poland; Silesian University of Technology, Biotechnology Centre, B. Krzywoustego 8 Str., Gliwice 44-100, PolandDexamethasone is a widely used drug, largely excreted unmetabolized, and in this form it enters the environment posing a risk of causing hormonal imbalances in humans and animals. The effectiveness of heterogeneous photocatalysis under controlled conditions of simulated sunlight using three photocatalysts, TiO2 anatase, TiO2 Degussa P25 and ZnO, in degrading dexamethasone at a concentration of 1 mg L−1 was investigated. TiO2 Degussa P25 proved to be the most effective semiconductor, degrading 98.93 % of the compound within 10 minutes. The effect of methanol used as a solvent for dexamethasone added to the reaction mixture was also determined. In each case, it slowed down the reaction rate, compared to an aqueous solution of the standard. Five transformation products formed during irradiation of the model samples were identified. The most effective photocatalyst was used to degrade dexamethasone in environmental matrices. For river and tap water, satisfactory removal of 94.7–98.5 % of the drug was achieved within 60 minutes. Photocatalysis in municipal wastewater showed 79.3 % degradation after 120 minutes. Three transformation products were present in environmental samples after the process. Additionally, characterization of the environmental samples was performed, demonstrating that mineralization of dexamethasone during photocatalysis occurred only to a limited extent.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S194439862500058XDexamethasoneEndocrine-disrupting chemicalsHeterogenous photocatalysisAdvanced oxidation processesLC-MS/MSTransformation products
spellingShingle Joanna Wilk
Paulina Sowik
Klaudia Stando
Adrianna Grabowska
Ewa Felis
Sylwia Bajkacz
Effect of sunlight-initiated processes on dexamethasone degradation in liquid samples
Desalination and Water Treatment
Dexamethasone
Endocrine-disrupting chemicals
Heterogenous photocatalysis
Advanced oxidation processes
LC-MS/MS
Transformation products
title Effect of sunlight-initiated processes on dexamethasone degradation in liquid samples
title_full Effect of sunlight-initiated processes on dexamethasone degradation in liquid samples
title_fullStr Effect of sunlight-initiated processes on dexamethasone degradation in liquid samples
title_full_unstemmed Effect of sunlight-initiated processes on dexamethasone degradation in liquid samples
title_short Effect of sunlight-initiated processes on dexamethasone degradation in liquid samples
title_sort effect of sunlight initiated processes on dexamethasone degradation in liquid samples
topic Dexamethasone
Endocrine-disrupting chemicals
Heterogenous photocatalysis
Advanced oxidation processes
LC-MS/MS
Transformation products
url http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S194439862500058X
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