Advanced oxidative processes in the degradation of 17β-estradiol present on surface waters: kinetics, byproducts and ecotoxicity

• Published in: Environmental science and pollution research international 2020-06, Vol.27 (17), p.21032-21039
• Main Authors: Perondi, Taise, Michelon, William, Junior, Paulo Reis, Knoblauch, Priscila M., Chiareloto, Marilete, de Fátima Peralta Muniz Moreira, Regina, Peralta, Rosely Aparecida, Düsman, Elisângela, Pokrywiecki, Ticiane Sauer
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: 17β-Estradiol; Aliphatic compounds; Aquatic ecosystems; Aquatic Pollution; Aromatic compounds; Atmospheric Protection/Air Quality Control/Air Pollution; By products; Byproducts; Computer applications; computer software; Degradation; Earth and Environmental Science; Ecotoxicology; Endocrine disruptors; Environment; Environmental Chemistry; Environmental Health; Environmental science; High performance liquid chromatography; Hydrogen peroxide; Hydroxyl radicals; hydroxylation; Intermediates; Irradiation; Kinetics; Liquid chromatography; Mass spectrometry; Mass spectroscopy; Oxidants; Oxidizing agents; photocatalysts; Photochemicals; photochemistry; Research Article; Sex hormones; Surface water; Titanium dioxide; Toxicity; Transformations; Ultraviolet radiation; Waste Water Technology; Water analysis; Water Management; Water Pollution Control; Water sampling
• ISSN: 0944-1344; 1614-7499
• DOI: 10.1007/s11356-020-08618-2

Endocrine disruptors represent risks to aquatic ecosystem and humans, and are commonly detected in surface water. Photochemical treatments can be used to remove 17β-estradiol (E2), but few studies have analyzed the kinetics, intermediates, and 17β-estradiol degradation pathways in natural matrices. In this study, the photochemical behavior of E2 under ultraviolet irradiation (UVC, 254 nm) associated with oxidants (H 2 O 2 or O 3 ) or photocatalyst (TiO 2 ) was investigated to evaluate the degradation potential and the transformation pathway in a natural surface water matrix. Additionally, computational modeling analyses with Ecological Structure Activity Relationships (ECOSAR) software were performed to predict the toxicity from the E2 and its transformation byproducts. E2 degradation kinetics showed adjusted to the pseudo-first-order kinetic model, being k UV/O3 > k UV/TiO2 > k UV/H2O2 > k UV . Eight transformation byproducts were identified by liquid chromatography with time-of-flight mass spectrometry (HPLC/TOF-MS) in natural surface water samples. These byproducts formed as the result of opening the aromatic ring and adding the hydroxyl radical. The E2 degradation pathway was proposed based on the byproducts identified in this study and in previous studies, suggesting the formation of aliphatic and hydroxylated byproducts. E2 treatment presented both very toxic and not harmful byproducts.