Removal of Antibiotics from Real Hospital Wastewater by Cold Plasma Technique

Hospital wastewater contains a complex mixture of bioactive substances and microorganisms that are deleterious to humans aquatic animals. In this study, four antibiotics, namely, ofloxacin, ciprofloxacin, cefuroxime, amoxicillin, respectively, from the seven hospitals in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam, were monitored. The results revealed these is contaminated with at least one antibiotics. addition, degradation capacity antibiotics by treatment plant cold plasma technique was investigated. Furthermore, effects variation pH, interelectrode distance, applied voltage, reaction time on removal efficiency investigated terms reduction concentration, COD, ammonia. Ciprofloxacin, ammonia almost eliminated, while ofloxacin amoxicillin reduced more than 72% under optimum conditions (initial pH 10, 15 min, voltage 30 kV, distance 10 mm). All factors affected efficiency. most robust first 5 it increased increase time. However, tended saturate over time, decreased With an kV onwards, not significantly different. Most pollutants predominately eliminated slightly alkaline (pH ?10). primary oxidants aqueous phase, such as O3, H2O2, ?OH, generated. Besides, obtained also decomposition ciprofloxacin cefuroxime follows first-order kinetics; meanwhile, third-order kinetics likely for amoxicillin.