pH-Dependent Photo-Fenton Degradation of Propranolol: Kinetic Analysis and Evolution of Water Quality Parameters
6 affiliations
- 1Department of Chemical Engineering, Faculty of Science and Technology, University of the Basque Country (UPV/EHU), Barrio Sarriena s/n, 48940 Leioa, Spain
- 2BCMaterials, Basque Center for Materials, Applications and Nanostructures, Edificio Martina Casiano, 3rd Floor, Scientific Park of the University of the Basque Country (UPV/EHU), Barrio Sarriena s/n, 48940 Leioa, Spain
- 3Department of Environmental and Chemical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering of Vitoria-Gasteiz, University of the Basque Country (UPV/EHU), Nieves Cano 12, 01006 Vitoria-Gasteiz, Spain
- 4Department of Environmental and Chemical Engineering, Bilbao School of Engineering, University of the Basque Country (UPV/EHU), Plaza Ingeniero Torres Quevedo 1, 48013 Bilbao, Spain
- 5School of Chemical Engineering, Autonomous University of Santo Domingo (UASD), Av. Alma Máter, Santo Domingo 10105, Dominican Republic
- 6Institute of Renewable Energies, National Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM), Privada Xochicalco s/n, Temixco 62580, Morelos, Mexico
Abstract
The presence of pharmaceutical contaminants in aquatic environments has raised increasing concern due to their persistence and incomplete removal by conventional wastewater treatment processes. In this study, the photo-Fenton degradation of propranolol was evaluated under UV irradiation across a broad initial pH range (3.0–12.0) using H2O2 and Fe2+, with simultaneous monitoring of degradation kinetics, aromaticity, color, dissolved oxygen, and turbidity to assess pollutant removal and water quality evolution. The results showed that pH strongly affected catalytic performance through its influence on iron speciation, catalyst stability, and reactive oxygen species generation. The highest efficiency was achieved under acidic conditions, where propranolol degradation followed a pseudo-second-order kinetic model and aromatic and chromophoric intermediates were removed. As pH increased, degradation rates decreased, while alkaline conditions were better described by a pseudo-first-order model with a residual fraction, indicating the persistence of refractory species and catalyst deactivation. Dissolved oxygen consumption and turbidity measurements further revealed reduced oxidative activity associated with iron hydrolysis and precipitation at high pH. These findings demonstrate that pH is a key parameter controlling photo-Fenton efficiency by influencing iron speciation, reactive oxygen species generation, intermediate formation, and overall water quality evolution, providing mechanistic insights for the optimization of sustainable wastewater treatment processes.
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BibTeX
@article{ortueta2026phdependent,
title = {{pH-Dependent Photo-Fenton Degradation of Propranolol: Kinetic Analysis and Evolution of Water Quality Parameters}},
author = {Monika Ortueta and Elisabeth Bilbao-García and Ian Rojo-Ortiz de Zarate and Olatz Rey-García and Unai Duoandicoechea and Ana María De Luis and Elsa Acosta-Piantini and Jose Muñoz-Montero and Hugo Olvera-Vargas and Natalia Villota and Miren Arrate Celaya},
journal = {Catalysts},
year = {2026},
month = nov,
doi = {10.3390/catal16110978},
url = {https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4344/16/11/978},
note = {CC BY 4.0},
}
RIS
TY - JOUR
TI - pH-Dependent Photo-Fenton Degradation of Propranolol: Kinetic Analysis and Evolution of Water Quality Parameters
AU - Monika Ortueta
AU - Elisabeth Bilbao-García
AU - Ian Rojo-Ortiz de Zarate
AU - Olatz Rey-García
AU - Unai Duoandicoechea
AU - Ana María De Luis
AU - Elsa Acosta-Piantini
AU - Jose Muñoz-Montero
AU - Hugo Olvera-Vargas
AU - Natalia Villota
AU - Miren Arrate Celaya
PY - 2026
DA - 2026/11/01
JO - Catalysts
DO - 10.3390/catal16110978
UR - https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4344/16/11/978
AB - The presence of pharmaceutical contaminants in aquatic environments has raised increasing concern due to their persistence and incomplete removal by conventional wastewater treatment processes. In this study, the photo-Fenton degradation of propranolol was evaluated under UV irradiation across a broad initial pH range (3.0–12.0) using H2O2 and Fe2+, with simultaneous monitoring of degradation kinetics, aromaticity, color, dissolved oxygen, and turbidity to assess pollutant removal and water quality evolution. The results showed that pH strongly affected catalytic performance through its influence on iron speciation, catalyst stability, and reactive oxygen species generation. The highest efficiency was achieved under acidic conditions, where propranolol degradation followed a pseudo-second-order kinetic model and aromatic and chromophoric intermediates were removed. As pH increased, degradation rates decreased, while alkaline conditions were better described by a pseudo-first-order model with a residual fraction, indicating the persistence of refractory species and catalyst deactivation. Dissolved oxygen consumption and turbidity measurements further revealed reduced oxidative activity associated with iron hydrolysis and precipitation at high pH. These findings demonstrate that pH is a key parameter controlling photo-Fenton efficiency by influencing iron speciation, reactive oxygen species generation, intermediate formation, and overall water quality evolution, providing mechanistic insights for the optimization of sustainable wastewater treatment processes.
SN - 2073-4344
ER -