Study of the removal of metronidazole from aqueous solutions using Electro/ Fenton process and graphite and iron electrodes

The indiscriminate consumption of antibiotics and their discharge into the environment have created serious complications. Therefore, it is necessary to remove these contaminants from the aquatic environment. The antibiotic Metronidazole is a contaminant that should be eliminated from the environment. The aim of this study was to evaluate the use of the Electro-Fenton advanced oxidation process for the removal of metronidazole from aqueous solution.
This research method was experimental and bench scale. The influence of factors such as solution pH, reaction time, the initial concentration of metronidazole, electric current, and hydrogen peroxide concentration on the removal efficiency were investigated.
In this study, the dose of hydrogen peroxide, electric current, and reaction time had a positive effect on metronidazole removal efficiency, while the initial concentration of metronidazole had a negative effect. The optimal values of variable for the removal of more than 99% metronidazole were: pH =7, current 30v, reaction time 40min, dose of hydrogen peroxide 0.02 mol/l and the initial concentration of metronidazole 10mg/l.
The Electro-Fenton process can effectively remove metronidazole from aquatic solutions in environmentally convenient conditions. This process can be used as an efficient method for removing other persistent pollutants from the environment.