In this work, fluorescence excitation–emission matrices
(EEMs), in combination with the chemometric tool and parallel factor
analysis (PARAFAC), have been proposed as an unexplored methodology
to follow the removal of the fluorescent contaminants of emerging
concern, fluoroquinolones (FQs). Ofloxacin, enrofloxacin, and sarafloxacin
were degraded by different advanced oxidation processes employing
simulated sunlight (hν): photolysis, H2O2/hν, and photo-Fenton.
All experiments were performed in ultrapure water at three different
pH values: 2.8, 5.0, and 7.0. With the obvious advantage of multivariate
analysis methods, EEM-PARAFAC allowed the monitoring of degradation
from the overall substances (original and formed ones) through simultaneous,
rapid, and cost-efficient fluorescence spectroscopy determinations.
A five-component model was found to best fit the experimental data,
allowing us to (i) describe the decay of the fluorescence signals
of the three parent pollutants, (ii) follow the kinetics profile of
FQ-like byproducts with similar EEM fingerprints than the original
FQs, and (iii) observe the formation of two families of reaction intermediates
with completely different EEMs. Results were finally correlated with
high pressure liquid chromatography, total organic carbon, and toxicity
tests on Escherichia coli, showing
good agreement with all the studied techniques.