Carbamazepine in water: persistence in the environment, ozonation treatment and preliminary assessment on algal toxicity

The presence of carbamazepine (CBZ), an antiepilectic drug, has been reported in sewage treatment plant (STP) effluents as a result of its low biodegradability. In the present work, the persistence of CBZ in aquatic environment with respect to abiotic transformation processes along with its toxicity and capability of accumulating in single aquatic organisms (algae) are evaluated. The possibility of removing CBZ from STP effluents is studied by characterizing its ozonation process through the assessment of kinetics and the distribution of oxidation products.