Photodegradation study of three dipyrone metabolites in various water systems: Identification and toxicity of their photodegradation products

The photochemical behaviour of three relevant metabolites of the analgesic and antipyretic drug dipyrone, 4-methylaminoantipyrine (4-MAA), 4-formylaminoantipyrine (4-FAA) and 4-acetylaminoantipyrine (4-AAA), was evaluated under simulated solar irradiation (Suntest system). For 4-MAA, different aqueous solutions (synthetic seawater, freshwater and Milli-Q water) as well as different operational conditions were compared. According to the experimental results, 4-MAA resulted as being an easily degraded molecule by direct photolysis, with half-life times (t1/2) ranging from 0.12 to 0.58 h, depending on the irradiation conditions. Faster degradation was observed in synthetic waters, suggesting that the photolysis was influenced by the salt composition of the waters. However, no effect on the degradation rate was observed by the presence of natural photosensitizers (dissolved organic matter, nitrate ions). 4-FAA and 4-AAA showed slower photodegradation kinetics, with t1/2 of 24 and 28 h, respectively.A study of photoproduct identification was carried out by gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC–MS) and liquid chromatography-time-of-flight mass spectrometry (LC-TOF-MS) (ESI positive mode), which allowed us to propose a tentative photodegradation pathway for 4-MAA and the identification of persistent by-products in all the cases. Finally, the application of an acute toxicity test (Daphnia magna) showed an increase in toxicity during the photolytic process, a consequence of the formation of toxic photoproducts.