Diploma Thesis Defense by Mr Georgios Fintikakis

Title MSc «Removal of antifungal pharmaceutical agents from aqueous matrics with advances oxidation processes »

Thursday 27  Augoust 2020, at: 13:00, Venue:  https://us04web.zoom.us/j/78641645483?pwd=Uit2eXJQSzV5OHJER3FpRjdTdDEwdz09

https://us04web.zoom.us/j/78641645483?pwd=Uit2eXJQSzV5OHJER3FpRjdTdDEwdz09https://us04web.zoom.us/j/78641645483?pwd=Uit2eXJQSzV5OHJER3FpRjdTdDEwdz09https://us04web.zoom.us/j/78641645483?pwd=Uit2eXJQSzV5OHJER3FpRjdTdDEwdz09https://us04web.zoom.us/j/78641645483?pwd=Uit2eXJQSzV5OHJER3FpRjdTdDEwdz09

Examination Committee

• Assistant Professor  Nikolaos Xekoukoulotakis (advisor)
• Assistant Professor Paraskevi Panagiotopoulou
• Professor            Konstantinos Komnitsas

Abstract

Today pollution caused by a multitude of medicinal substances used by human has been recognised as one of the major environmental problems. Medicinal substances are designed in such a way that they are biologically active and remain unchanged during human use. Moreover, scientific studies have shown that conventional wastewater treatment methods, such as secondary biological treatment, are ineffective in the biodegradation of medicinal substances. Therefore, the increasing rate of consumption of medicinal products, which has been observed in recent years and the stability of medicinal substances, results in them being channeled into the environment such as groundwater, surface water (lakes, rivers and streams), seawater, wastewater treatment plants (inputs and sewage), soils and sludges. Having the potential to cause both chronic and toxic harmful effects on natural flora and fauna (such as in aquatic organisms and humans).

This thesis will attempt a review of the literature of the last five years from 2014 to 2019 on the occurrence of antifungal substances in the environment. Representing the growing concerns about the contamination of environmental media compartments of medicinal products, as well as efforts to rehabilitate those using advanced technologies.

The purpose of this work is therefore to briefly present the current situation in the existence of antifungal substances in the environment. A description will also be made of the potential risks and effects they may cause on it, particularly aquatic organisms. Finally, the various methods of removing them will be presented in aggregate, in addition to conventional processing methods. Special reference will be made to the studies that have been carried out concerning the use of Advanced Oxidation Processes (AORS), such as methods, including oxidation, uv-based photolysis, nanofiltration degradation combined with reverse osmosis and the use of advanced electrochemical process techniques (e peroxone) to restore aquatic environmental systems which in recent decades have been burdened with large loads of emerging pollutants resulting in their degradation. Such are pharmaceuticals that have now emerged as a new category of environmental pollutant.

Keywords

Antifungals, Presence of antifungals in the environment, Advanced Oxidation Processes _AOPs