Aqueous oxytetracycline degradation and the toxicity change of degradation compounds in photoirradiation process

The extensive use of antibiotics has been a worldwide environmental issue.In this study the fate of oxytetracycline (OTC),under photoirradiation,was investigated.The results showed that OTC photolysis followed first order model kinetics.Direct photolysis rate was found to be dependent on the initial OTC concentration,with k value ranging from 0.0075 to 0.0141 min~(-1),in the OTC concentration from 40 to 10 mg/L.OTC photolysis was highly pH-dependent and strongly enhanced at a high pH value,with a k value...