Degradation and mineralization of ofloxacin by ozonation and peroxone (O/HO) process.

The degradation and mineralization of ofloxacin (OFX) by ozonation and peroxone process (O/HO) was investigated. The influence of operational conditions and inorganic anions on the mineralization of OFX were also studied. Results showed that OFX could be rapidly oxidized by both O alone and O/HO process. The mineralization of OFX was significantly enhanced (55%) in peroxone process, compared with that in ozonation alone (30%). The direct oxidation of OFX by ozone molecules might account for the degradation of OFX in both ozonation and peroxone process, whereas, in the presence of HO, the improvement of the ozone decomposition and the formation of OH radicals were responsible for enhancing OFX mineralization. The applied dosage of HO and O was important for the performance of peroxone process in OFX mineralization. The addition of HCO and PO enhanced OFX mineralization, while the presence of Cl and NO had negative effect on OFX mineralization in both ozonation and peroxone processes. Ozonation process might be a promising technology for the degradation of OFX, while the combination process of O/HO could be an effective method for the improvement of the mineralization of refractory organic pollutants.