Comparative investigation on catalytic ozonation of Fluoxetine antidepressant drug in the presence of boehmite and γ-alumina nanocatalysts: operational parameters, kinetics and degradation mechanism studies

Degradation of the Fluoxetine, as commonly used antidepressant pharmaceutical, from aqueous media with different oxidation processes including ozonation and catalytic ozonation (in the presence of nano-boehmite and nano-γ-alumina) was studied in a batch reactor. The catalysts were synthesized via the co-precipitation route. Then, kinetic study of catalytic ozonation process for elimination of Fluoxetine in water was performed. The kinetic of the degradation process was properly fitted to the pseudo first-order equation. The influence of operational parameters, such as pH of solution, scavenger compound (tert-butyl alcohol) and two-type anions (phosphate and nitrate), on Fluoxetine degradation efficiency was studied. The influence of water pH presented that hydroxyl groups of surface are considered as the major active site in the catalytic ozonation of Fluoxetine for the ^•OH radical production in water for nano-boehmite but not for nano-γ-alumina. It was found that the Fluoxetine removal efficiency remarkably increased for catalytic ozonation in comparison with ozonation process in a batch reactor at pH 7. Finally, two-reaction mechanisms were offered for catalytic ozonation of Fluoxetine in aqueous medium by boehmite and γ-alumina nanocatalysts.