Radiation induced degradation of ciprofloxacin and norfloxacin: Kinetics and product analysis

Ionizing radiation induced degradation of two fluoroquinolone antibiotics, ciprofloxacin and norfloxacin was investigated in 0.1 mmol dm–3 aqueous solutions. The rate constants, directly determined by pulse radiolysis, were 7.2 × 109 mol–1 dm3 s–1 and 5.4 × 109 mol–1 dm3 s–1 for •OH reaction and 8.2 × 109 mol–1 dm3 s–1 and 7.3 × 109 mol–1 dm3 s–1 for hydrated electron reaction with ciprofloxacin and norfloxacin, respectively. Absorption bands of...