Unexpected Role of Nitrite in Promoting Transformation of Sulfonamide Antibiotics by Peracetic Acid: Reactive Nitrogen Species Contribution and Harmful Disinfection Byproduct Formation Potential

Peracetic acid (PAA) is an emerging oxidant and disinfectant for wastewater (WW) treatment due to limited harmful disinfection byproduct (DBP) formation. Nitrite (NO2 –) is a ubiquitous anion in water, but the impact of NO2 – on PAA oxidation and disinfection has been largely overlooked. This work f...

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Published in:Environmental science & technology 2022-01, Vol.56 (2), p.1300-1309
Main Authors: Liu, Tongcai, Chen, Jiabin, Li, Nan, Xiao, Shaoze, Huang, Ching-Hua, Zhang, Longlong, Xu, Yao, Zhang, Yalei, Zhou, Xuefei
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Anti-Bacterial Agents
Antibiotics
Byproducts
Chemical activity
Disinfectants
Disinfection
Disinfection & disinfectants
First principles
Nitrites
Nitrogen dioxide
Oxidants
Oxidation
Oxidizing agents
Peracetic Acid
Peroxynitrite
Quantum chemistry
Reaction kinetics
Reaction mechanisms
Reactive Nitrogen Species
Reactive oxygen species
Sulfonamides
Treatment and Resource Recovery
Wastewater treatment
Water Purification - methods
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Summary:Peracetic acid (PAA) is an emerging oxidant and disinfectant for wastewater (WW) treatment due to limited harmful disinfection byproduct (DBP) formation. Nitrite (NO2 –) is a ubiquitous anion in water, but the impact of NO2 – on PAA oxidation and disinfection has been largely overlooked. This work found for the first time that NO2 – could significantly promote the oxidation of sulfonamide antibiotics (SAs) by PAA. Unexpectedly, the reactive nitrogen species (RNS), for example, peroxynitrite (ONOO–), rather than conventional organic radicals (R–O•) or reactive oxygen species (ROS), played major roles in SAs degradation. A kinetic model based on first-principles was developed to elucidate the reaction mechanism and simulate reaction kinetics of the PAA/NO2 – process. Structural activity assessment and quantum chemical calculations showed that RNS tended to react with an aromatic amine group, resulting in more conversion of NO2 –-N to organic-N. The formation of nitrated and nitrosated byproducts and the enhancement of trichloronitromethane formation potential might be a prevalent problem in the PAA/NO2 – process. This study provides new insights into the reaction of PAA with NO2 – and sheds light on the potential risks of PAA in WW treatment in the presence of NO2 –.
ISSN:0013-936X
1520-5851
DOI:10.1021/acs.est.1c06026