Spectrophotometric determination and degradation, by oxidation advanced process, of the 17-α-ethynylestradiol (EE2) .
Emerging pollutants can be eliminated through urine and faeces, both conventional sewage treatment and water treatment from sources for public supply do not completely eliminate them resulting in contamination of water sources and reuse water. Among other considered emerging pollutants to be hormone 17-α-ethinylestradiol (EE2), used as oral contraceptives. Aiming the determination of hormone in water samples an spectrophotometric method was developed combining with dispersive liquid phase microextraction (DLPME). 200μL of undecanol was used as extraction solvent, with vortex dispersion and 1 minute centrifugation at 4000rpm (RCF = 2630g) obtaining a linear range of 2.5 to 50 mg L-1, LOD 0.39mg L-1 and LOQ 1.32 mg L-1. These conditions were applied to real water samples (reuse, mineral, dam, sea and tap). It was also studied and evaluated the degradation of this pollutant in different water sources using the Advanced Oxidative Process - Fotoeletro-Fenton. After pollutant degradation, organic matter removal was evaluated by Total Organic Carbon (TOC) analysis and using the High Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC) technique the intermediate compounds that can be formed during the oxidative process were determined. The process was carried out in a 20mg L-1 solution with 0.1mol L-1 K2SO4 electrolyte, pH 3,0 in a BDD / EDG cell with Fe2+ 0.50 mmol L-1 at 300mA / cm² at 20ºC and a pressure of O2 0, 2bar, where 74.5% of the organic carbon was reduced. This condition was applied to reuse, tap and mineral water samples, removing 88.4, 88.3 and 93.6% organic carbon respectively. For all samples, predominantly residual oxalic acid was detected.