Degradation potential of ofloxacin and its resulting transformation products during Fenton oxidation process

The degradation of ofloxacin (OFX) in the aqueous solution by Fenton oxidation process was investigated in the present study. The optimum operating conditions for the degradation of OFX in our system was determined. More importantly, the degradation pathways on a basis of the identification of transformation products during the degradation of OFX were proposed, which revealed that the initial degradation step could be associated with the decarboxylation at the quinolone moiety. Moreover, the detachment of the F element during the Fenton oxidation process has also been detected. Since the carboxylic group within OFX has been considered as an important bridge for binding quinolones with the DNA gyrase target, the decarboxylation process would offer insights into the reduction of antibacterial potentials.