Removal of Emerging Contaminants (Endocrine Disruptors) Using a Photocatalyst and Detection by High-Performance...

Among several types of emerging contaminants, the endocrine disruptors 17β-estradiol (E2) and 17α-ethinylestradiol (EE2) are particularly notable. These compounds are discharged into sewage systems and subsequently into water bodies, as conventional wastewater treatment processes are unable to effectively eliminate such pollutants. Therefore, the present study aimed to evaluate the possibility of removing the endocrine disruptors 17β-estradiol (E2) and 17α-ethinylestradiol (EE2) from water using the photocatalytic activity of the compound Ag₃AsO₄. Silver arsenate was synthesized and characterized, the quantification of the hormones E2 and EE2 was achieved by high-performance liquid chromatography with a fluorescence detector, and a validation process and some preliminary tests were performed on the photodegradation of the hormones using the Ag₃AsO₄ catalyst. Validation was performed, and satisfactory results were achieved: r = 0.9987 (E2), r = 0.9984 (EE2), a detection limit of 5.01 (E2) and 0.51 (EE2), a quantification limit of 15.19 (E2) and 1.54 (EE2), coefficients of variation for precision intraday and interday lower than 10.9725% and 11.3393%, respectively, and a recovery of 100.15% (E2) and 100.31% (EE2). In photodegradation studies, Ag₃AsO₄ showed different behavior in the presence of light for each hormone. In solution with E2, it reached a removal rate of 35% of the hormone under LED light, acting as a photocatalyst, while with EE2, it reached a removal rate of 96%; both results were obtained after 30 min of exposure to visible light. When this study is compared with other processes and materials, the high efficiency of the Ag₃AsO₄ photocatalyst in removing E2 and EE2, persistent emerging contaminants, becomes evident. This advancement has significant implications for wastewater treatment, offering a promising solution that can mitigate environmental impacts caused by endocrine disruptors.