Electrochemical remediation of 17α-ethinylestradiol

Resumo

Technological development has led to the emergence of new substances with many different purposes generating a new profile of pollutants in waterways. Among these, endocrine disruptors, such as 17EE (17α-ethinylestradiol), are of great importance due to their wide application and harmful consequences to the environment, human health and animals. The inefficiency of most water treatment processes in withdrawing such substances poses a global concern for the development of effective and environmentally clean methods. The electrochemical remediation processes appear as a powerful and “green” alternative for waste removal of organic or inorganic pollutants from complex environments, such as geosphere and hydrosphere. The research focus in this field is mostly related to the optimization of electronic devices with higher (photo) catalytic efficiency, whereas the starting material remains based on metal and carbon conventional electrodes. In the present study, the anodic removal process of 17α-ethinylestradiol at carbon cardboards was investigated in stationary and hydrodynamic conditions. The influence of pH and applied potential were evaluated, always taking into account the transposition of scale and environmental aspects. Thus, the principle of hormone removal showed to be strictly related to such parameters. It was observed that mild alkaline medium favors the anodic oxidation, whereas neutral and mild acid ones lead to higher adsorption at carbon surface. Also, when the applied potential was higher than 1.25 V, the electrochemical oxidation rate increased, and the adsorption was decreased. Furthermore, the removal efficiency of 17EE showed to be lower, the flow rate was higher.

Descrição

Palavras-chave

Endocrine disruptors, Carbon electrodes, Ethinylestradiol, Electrochemical remediation

Citação

LINO, Fernando Miguel de Amorim et al. Electrochemical remediation of 17α-ethinylestradiol. Journal of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Wilmington, v. 7, p. 344-350, 2013.