Imiparmine Oxidative Removal by a Fenton Like Process Triggered by Ag ⁺ ‐persulfate Activated System

ABSTRACT The growing discharge of pharmaceuticals from industrial sources poses a significant toxicological impact on the environment because of their stable nature. In this study, the removal of the tricyclic antidepressant imipramine drug by the Fenton‐like Ag + ‐persulfate system was carried out for the first time. The imipramine remediation followed the pseudo‐first‐order kinetic model, and the rate constant fitted with the Arrhenius equation. The persulfate exhibited a concentration‐based dual effect on the imipramine degradation. The activation energy (E a = 30.0 kJ/mol), activation enthalpy (ΔH # = 33.2 kJ/mol), activation entropy (ΔS # = −161.8 JK −1 mol −1 ), and free energy of activation (ΔG # = 48.2 kJ/mol) have been calculated. The imipramine oxidative degradation rate decreased with increasing initial imipramine concentration and increased with rising pH. The presence of quenchers inhibited the removal of imipramine. The reactive radical species (SO 4 −• and HO • ) co‐exist in an Ag + /persulfate system, and SO 4 −• takes the major role in oxidative removal of imipramine. The inorganic anions (Cl − , NO 3 − , HCO 3 − , and H 2 PO 4 − ) and humic acid had a negative effect on oxidative degradation of imipramine. The 60.6% of imipramine was degraded under the background of real water with 0.14 molar ratio of Ag + /S 2 O 8 2− . The determination of degradation products was performed by gas chromatography‐mass spectrometry. These findings suggest the possible application of the Ag + /S 2 O 8 2− system in the treatment of vast aquatic organic pollutants.