Effects of dissolved organic matter from different sources on ritonavir photolysis

With the misuse of antiviral drugs, the residual levels of ritonavir (RTV) in aquatic environments continue to increase, potentially posing threats to ecosystems and human health. However, the current understanding of the photochemical behavior of RTV in water, especially the mechanism by which dissolved organic matter (DOM) from different sources affects the indirect photolysis of RTV, remains limited. This study systematically investigated the effects of DOM from different sources (including sludge, algae, dustfall, and soil, namely SL-DOM, AL-DOM, DF-DOM, and SO-DOM, respectively) on the photodegradation of RTV for the first time. DOM exhibited a dual role in RTV degradation, with SL-DOM and AL-DOM accelerating the degradation process, while DF-DOM and SO-DOM inhibited it. Direct photolysis accounted for 40–53% of the overall photodegradation, underscoring its significant contribution to the degradation process. Quenching and competitive kinetics experiments revealed that ³DOM^⁎ is the dominant contributor to the indirect photolysis of RTV. Exogenous DOM (DF-DOM, SO-DOM) exhibited higher generation rate and steady-state concentraiton of ³DOM^⁎, while endogenous DOM (SL-DOM, AL-DOM) exhibited higher quantum yields of ³DOM^⁎ and reactivity, leading to distinct mechanisms for the indirect photodegradation of RTV. This study explored the effects of DOM from different sources on the photodegradation of RTV, providing important insights into how DOM affects the photochemical behavior and ecological risk of RTV. It also provides a reference for exploring the photochemical behavior of other drugs.