Degradation of diclofenac in water using a pulsed corona discharge

Dobrin, D.; Bradu, C.; Magureanu, M.; Mandache, N.B.; Parvulescu, V.I.

Degradation of diclofenac in water using a pulsed corona discharge

2013

Dobrin, D. | Bradu, C. | Magureanu, M. | Mandache, N.B. | Parvulescu, V.I.

The oxidative degradation of the pharmaceutical drug diclofenac (DCF) in water was studied using a pulsed corona discharge generated above liquid. It was found that DCF in solution was completely removed after 15min non-thermal plasma treatment. The mineralization degree of DCF, expressed as the decrease of Total Organic Carbon (TOC), was approximately 50% after 30min exposure to plasma. A good correlation between the evolution of the Total Carbon and the amount of CO₂ released was observed. The elimination of chlorine from DCF occurs rapidly: over 95% is released as Cl⁻ after 15min non-thermal plasma treatment, indicating the absence of chlorinated degradation products in the treated solution. Several reaction by-products are identified and based on this a tentative degradation pathway of DCF under plasma conditions is proposed.

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