Enhancement of ciprofloxacin degradation in the Fe(II)/peroxymonosulfate system by protocatechuic acid over a wide initial pH range

The appearance of large amounts of antibiotics in drinking water and wastewater treatment plants has attracted extensive interest because of the potential resultant environmental and biological risks. Although the Fe(II)/peroxymonosulfate (PMS) system provides a feasible method for antibiotic degradation, the narrow pH range in which it operates and the resultant iron precipitation limit its use. In this study, protocatechuic acid (PCA) was...