Oxidation of ofloxacin by Oxone/Co2+: identification of reaction products and pathways

Oxidative degradation of ofloxacin (OFX) by sulfate free radicals (SO₄ ^??) in the UV/Oxone/Co²⁺oxidation process was investigated for the first time, with a special focus upon identifying the transformation products as well as understanding the reaction pathways. Thirteen main compounds were identified after the initial transformation of OFX; the detailed structural information of which were characterized by high-performance liquid chromatography–high resolution mass spectrometry and MS fragmentation analysis. The degradation pathways mainly encompassed ring openings at both the piperazinyl substituent and the quinolone moiety, indicating that the usage of SO₄ ^?? aided the oxidative degradation of OFX to undergo more facile routes compared to those in previous reports by using OH^?/h⁺ as the oxidant, where the initial transformation attacks were mainly confined to the piperazine moiety. Moreover, in this study, smart control over the pH conditions of the oxidation system via different modes of Oxone dosage resulted in the selective degradation of the functional sites of OFX molecule, where it was shown that the SO₄ ^??-driven destruction of the quinolone moiety of OFX molecule favored the neutral pH conditions. This would be beneficial for the reduction of bacterial resistance against quinolones in the aqueous environment.