Pilot-Scale Photocatalytic Degradation of Pharmaceuticals in Hospital Wastewater: A Kinetic Study from Albania

Pharmaceutical residues in hospital wastewater pose a significant environmental threat, particularly in developing regions like Albania where advanced treatment is lacking. This study investigates the kinetics of photocatalytic oxidation for degrading a mixture of ciprofloxacin, paracetamol, and ibuprofen in real hospital effluent using a pilot-scale reactor (50 L) installed in Vlora, Albania. The system employed suspended TiO₂ under UV-A irradiation. Kinetic analysis revealed that the degradation followed pseudo-first-order kinetics, with high correlation coefficients (R² > 0.95). The Langmuir-Hinshelwood model better described the process at higher concentrations. Under optimal conditions (1.5 g/L catalyst), removal efficiencies reached 92% for paracetamol, 85% for ciprofloxacin, and 78% for ibuprofen, with significant total organic carbon (TOC) reduction (60-70%). This study demonstrates that photocatalytic oxidation is a viable and effective tertiary treatment for pharmaceutical-laden wastewater in Albanian hospitals, providing a kinetic foundation for future scaling and implementation.