Fenton-like catalyst based on a reticulated porous perovskite material: Activity and stability for the on-site removal of pharmaceutical micropollutans in a hospital wastewater

Abstract

Powdered LaCu0.5Mn0.5O3 perovskite was successfully conformed in a reticulated macroporous structure to be tested in an up-flow catalytic packed bed reactor as on-site pre-treatment of pharmaceutical micropollutants in a hospital wastewater. Initially, the effect of the pH, the temperature and the hydrogen peroxide were studied using the hospital wastewater fortified with carbamazepine (CZP) in order to determine the best operation conditions. The reticulated porous perovskite catalyst evidenced a remarkable activity and stability for 70 h on continuous operation in a catalytic packed bed reactor operated at initial pH of ca. 5.5, 70 °C and moderate dosage of hydrogen peroxide (700 mg/L). Under these conditions, the heterogeneous Fenton-like catalytic system achieved an effective removal of pharmaceutical micropollutants of the hospital wastewater in the real range of μg/L, such as antineoplastic drugs, antibiotics, X-ray contrast agent, etc. Most of them were eliminated with removal degrees above 90–95%, being their remaining concentration below the predicted non-effect concentration (PNEC) for aquatic organisms.