2008 Volume 45 Pages 29-37
Degradation of PPCPs in the water environment was evaluated. On the assumption that the degradation is a first-order reaction, the reaction constants were calculated by comparing the mass load of upstream and downstream and the time of flow at Yodo River System. Batch experiments were also conducted and the reaction constants were determined and compared with those of the river surveys. These were greatly different for ketoprofen, azithromycin, diclofenac and levofloxacin, suggesting the other mechanisms of decrease in the concentrations such as photodegradation or adsorption to the sediments. In the river surveys, biodegradability was found much different depend on the sites.