STUDIES REGARDING THE DEGRADATION OF SOME NONSTEROIDAL ANTI-INFLAMMATORY DRUGS UNDER FENTON AND PHOTO-FENTON OXIDATION PROCESS

In this study the assessment of the degradation efficiency of four nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs namely Ketoprofen, Naproxen, Diclofenac and Ibuprofen, under the Fenton and Photo-Fenton oxidation process was performed. It was observed that the main parameters that influence the Fenton and Photo-Fenton oxidative processes of the selected NSAIDs were the concentration of the catalyst (Fe+2), the concentration of the oxidizing agent (H2O2), the pH value, the reaction time and also the quantity of light radiation. For the Fenton process the following yields of degradation were obtained: 86.02% Ketoprofen, 90.09% Naproxen, 81.92% Diclofenac, and 85.98% Ibuprofen. In the case of the Photo-Fenton process a slight improvement in the rate of degradation was observed but insignificant compared to the Fenton process. The degradation was performed using 500 µl of Fe+2 solution (1000 mg/L) and 400 gl of H2O2 (30%), at a pH value of 3, with a total reaction time of 30 minutes.Keywords: Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, Fenton oxidation process, Photo-Fenton oxidation process, high performance liquid chromatography, advanced oxidation process.