Photodegradation of metoprolol using a porphyrin as photosensitizer under homogeneous and heterogeneous conditions.

Porphyrins are known as effective photosensitizers and can be an interesting key in phototreatment of water contaminated with micropollutants such as pharmaceuticals. They already showed to be efficient photocatalysts for the degradation of dyes, chlorophenols and other pollutants. This work demonstrates the applicability of 5,10,15,20-tetrakis(pentafluorophenyl)porphyrin (HTFPP) as photosensitizer for treatment of water contaminated with metoprolol, a highly prescribed β-blocker, which is not completely removed in sewage treatment plants.

Identification and characterization of photodegradation products of metoprolol in the presence of natural fulvic acid by HPLC-UV-MS.

Metoprolol is a β-blocker highly prescribed for the treatment of heart diseases. It is not efficiently removed in wastewater treatment plants and it has been detected not only in the treated effluents, but also in natural waters. Thus, the knowledge of its fate in the environment is an important issue, and photodegradation is an important degradation pathway.