REMOÇÃO DO HORMÔNIO 17α-ETINILESTRADIOL POR ADSORÇÃO COM CARVÃO ATIVADO E FOTOCATÁLISE HETEROGÊNEA

Abstract

Endocrine disrupters (EDs) are substances that simulate, mimic or block the action of natural hormones in humans and other animals. Its presence in surface water and wastewater generates harmful effects that is proven in some fish species, but studies about effects in humans are still controversial. Among the EDs is the 17α-ethinylestradiol (EE2), a synthetic hormone used contraceptives and hormone replacement treatments. This work evaluated the removal of EE2 in water prepared in laboratory, by the conventional treatment in bench scale (CT), CT with addition of powdered activated carbon (CT + PAC) and CT with a subsequent step of heterogeneous photocatalysis using TiO2 (CT + TiO2). The study water was prepared by adding kaolin to raise the turbidity up to 100 ± 10 NTU and, EE2 to a final concentration of 40 mg L-1. The CT was constituited by coagulation using aluminum sulfate (12 mg L-1), followed by flocculation, sedimentation and filtration. The CT + PAC differed by the addition of powdered activated carbon at concentrations of 5 mg L-1 and 7.5 mg L-1 before the coagulation step. The CT + TiO2 step was made of the way after the completion of the CT, 1 L of sample was stored and treated by the heterogeneous photocatalysis. The CT showed removal of EE2 41,75% and 44,33%. The treatment that added activated carbon proved to be more effective removing EE2 (59.63% and 62.25%), and the removal percentage increased with increasing the concentration of powdered activated carbon. The CT + TiO2 also proved an effective treatment, removing 52,5 to 56,4% of EE2.