[Pharmwaste] Ozone shows promise in removing trace levels of pharmaceuticals, steroids, and PCPs

Glover, Tim NTGLOVER at mactec.com
Mon Jul 23 11:40:04 EDT 2007


Good point about breakdown products - but ozone is a pretty aggressive
oxidizer - it may take these materials to inorganic end products like
CO2.  It's worth checking to see how far along the mineralization path
ozone takes these materials.

Tim Glover
Office 770-421-3310
Fax 770-421-3486
Email ntglover at mactec.com



-----Original Message-----
From: pharmwaste-bounces at lists.dep.state.fl.us
[mailto:pharmwaste-bounces at lists.dep.state.fl.us] On Behalf Of Catherine
Zimmer
Sent: Monday, July 23, 2007 11:22 AM
To: DeBiasi,Deborah
Cc: pharmwaste at lists.dep.state.fl.us
Subject: [Pharmwaste] Ozone shows promise in removing trace levels of
pharmaceuticals, steroids, and PCPs

Hi  all,
Just a quick comment on "treatment" of pharmaceuticals.  While the ozone

or other treatment may be effective at removing the parent compound, the

breakdown products of ozonation should be considered. This study didn't 
appear to test for break down products.  For example, alkylphenol 
ethoxylates break down to nonyl phenol ethoxylate, which has been found 
to be more toxic to aquatic life than APEO.  Epinephrine--commonly used 
and disposed of from health care facilities, breaks down to adrenochrome

which has been used to increase the toxicity of some chemotherapeutics.

Incineration leads to dioxin and furan formation in addition to acid 
gases, carbon monoxide and other toxics. 

"Treatment",  ozonation, incineration, calls for wariness of the break 
down products --they may be worse.  The best solution is,  of course (no

condescension intended) , source reduction.  There is no such place as 
"away".  

Catherine Zimmer
Health Care Specialist

Minnesota Technical Assistance Program
University of Minnesota
612/624-4635, 800/247-0015
http://www.mntap.umn.edu

Helping Minnesota businesses maximize resource efficiency, prevent
pollution and reduce costs.




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