Cyanide ion release from disinfection of pharmaceutical wastewater

الملخص EN

The reaction of some pharmaceuticals containing nitrogen with sodium hypochlorite was investigated under conditions simulates wastewater disinfection.

Initially, the reaction was studied in pure pharmaceuticals at concentration of 1x10-3 molar and molar excess of sodium hypochlorite (5x10- 3M), this reaction was monitored using spectrophotometric method for ten different compounds.

The cyanide ion was detected in chlorhexidine –gluconate, metronidazole, frusemide, diphenoxylate.HCl , chloramphenicol and metformin.

The largest formation was observed in chlorhexidine gluconate, the amount of cyanide ion formed increased to maximum at 10-30 minute.

The formation of cyanide ion was attributed to the formation of dichloramine product by oxidizing action of sodium hypochlorite, which decomposition to cyanide .The reaction studied in industrial waste water sample from the state company for drug industries and medical appliances Mosul-Iraq ,was similar to reactive noted.