Removal of Fluorinated Active Pharmaceutical Ingredients Using Membrane Concentration and Electrochemical Oxidation

A major source of pharmaceuticals in the environment is the discharge of wastewater contaminated with active pharmaceutical ingredients (API) at manufacturing facilities. API wastewaters are often segregated and trucked offsite for disposal. Electrochemical oxidation (EOx) allows onsite treatment of pharmaceutical wastewaters including stable fluorinated APIs without generating secondary waste streams, eliminating the need for offsite disposal. The EOx process can break extremely stable bonds and is ideally suited for API removal. Fundamentals of electrochemical oxidation, catalyst selection, and typical operating conditions are reviewed. EOx systems are typically operated as batch reactors with first order kinetics dominating API removal rate, and complementary processes can improve performance. Process trains integrating EOx with concentration/separation technologies are illustrated. A case study and operating data are presented of an API removal system currently operating at a Fortune 500 pharmaceutical manufacturer utilizing an integrated ultrafiltration, reverse osmosis, and EOx treatment train.