Skip to main content
Application L2601

Catalytic ozonation of multi-component pharmaceutical mixtures: kinetic evaluation, molecular interaction, including catalyst structure effects

Pasi Tolvanen, Ana Fernanda Núñez Núñez, Estéban Duverger, Nikke Saarinen, Abdul Shahid, Shey Jude Fale, Soudabeh Saeid, Matilda Kråkström, Narendra Kumar, Kari Eränen, Patrik C. Eklund, Jyri-Pekka Mikkola, Dmitry Yu. Murzin, Tapio Salmi

Applied Catalysis B: Environment and Energy, Volume 385, 15 May 2026, 126274

Access source

"Removal of pharmaceuticals from wastewater remains a major environmental challenge, requiring efficient and selective Advanced Oxidation Processes (AOPs). Catalytic and non-catalytic ozonation was investigated in a laboratory-scale reactor under optimized flow conditions (500-750 mL min⁻¹, 98% O₂ feed). Ozonation kinetics of active pharmaceutical ingredient mixtures (APIs) consisting of ibuprofen (IBU), diclofenac (DCF), carbamazepine (CBZ), sulfadiazine (SDZ), and sulfamethoxazole (SFX) (40 mg L⁻¹ each) —was investigated using iron-modified zeolite catalysts, Fe-H-Y and Fe-H-Beta, under semi-batch operations (0.5 g catalyst, 20 °C) in order to correlate degradation and mineralization efficiency with catalyst structure, acidity, and stability. Both catalysts significantly improved the ozone utilization compared to non-catalytic ozonation. Interestingly, Fe-H-Y accelerated initial degradation rate, while the use of Fe-H-Beta resulted in the highest level of mineralization. Adsorption–desorption analysis revealed that the molecular size and polarity controlled the interactions between the pharmaceutical and the catalyst: smaller polar compounds (SDZ, SFX) exhibited stronger adsorption on the catalyst, while bulkier molecules (DCF, IBU) were restricted to external surfaces. Post-reaction characterization confirmed that the Fe-H-Y retained more surface area and exhibited lower Fe leaching, while Fe-H-Beta showed significantly higher carbon deposition. Overall, Fe-H-Y combined rapid kinetics and structural stability, while Fe-H-Beta provided higher mineralization, at the expense of more extensive fouling. The study demonstrated that optimized ozonation conditions, coupled with tailored zeolite catalysts, markedly improve the oxidation efficiency and long-term performance in the oxidation of pharmaceuticals."

Keywords

Catalytic ozonation, Advanced oxidation processes, Emerging contaminants, Pharmaceutical mixtures, Zeolites, Wastewater treatment, Transformation products, Reaction kinetics

Schematic diagram showing SpinChem rotating bed reactor system with stirrer, condenser, double-jacketed glass reactor, ozonator, gas flow controller, and cooling system. Right side shows cross-sectional view of RBR basket with catalyst particles and ozone flow paths for API degradation.

Schematic diagram showing SpinChem rotating bed reactor system setup for catalytic ozonation of pharmaceuticals

 

 

Process diagram showing pharmaceutical compounds transformed by ozone and iron zeolite catalyst into harmless by-products and CO2, with increasing bar chart indicating mineralization efficiency.

Process diagram showing pharmaceutical compounds transformed by ozone and iron zeolite catalyst into harmless by-products and CO2, with increasing bar chart indicating mineralization efficiency.

 

 

Highlights:

  • Rotating bed reactor system enabled fast pharmaceutical degradation: Experiments used the SpinChem® rotating bed reactor (RBR) to confine the catalysts and provide efficient mass transfer.
  • Complete pharmaceutical removal within 7–8 minutes: All five pharmaceutical compounds (ibuprofen, diclofenac, carbamazepine, sulfadiazine, sulfamethoxazole) were fully removed using the Fe-H-Y catalyst in the rotating bed reactor system.
  • Catalysts increased mineralization by up to 42%: Total organic carbon (TOC) removal reached 82–89% with Fe-modified zeolite catalysts compared to 63% without catalyst.


Authors & Research Group

This research was conducted by the Laboratory of Industrial Chemistry and Reaction Engineering at Åbo Akademi University in Finland, in collaboration with the Erasmus Mundus IMATEC Programme and Bio4Energy programme in Sweden, bringing together expertise in catalytic oxidation processes, zeolite catalysis, and pharmaceutical wastewater treatment.

Principal Investigator: Tapio Salmi – Chemical reaction engineering, catalytic processes, and advanced oxidation technologies.

Research Team:

SpinChem Commentary
Erik Löfgren CTO SpinChem

Erik Löfgren

Chief Technology Officer

erik@spinchem.com

SpinChem Perspective: Industry Applications

This research demonstrates catalytic ozonation in rotating bed reactors delivers faster pharmaceutical removal (7–8 minutes for complete degradation) and higher mineralization (82–89% vs. 63% non-catalytic) than conventional systems. The superior mass transfer and catalyst containment design translates directly to higher throughput and lower operational costs for industrial wastewater treatment.

Key applications: Pharmaceutical manufacturing (API-contaminated process water), municipal wastewater treatment (emerging contaminants), cosmetics production (personal care residues), specialty chemical production(advanced oxidation), and nuclear liquid waste treatment (catalyst containment critical).

Economic advantage: Fe-H-Y catalyst's multiple cycles without performance degradation eliminates catalyst separation and recovery costs while 250–900× suppression of toxic transformation products reduces downstream treatment and waste generation.

Topics Scientific Literature, Biocatalysis, Chemical Catalysis

Products SpinChem® RBR S2