Abstract
This study investigated the removal of 17α-ethynylestradiol (EE2) from water using activated carbon adsorption and powdered activated carbon/ultrafiltration (PAC/UF). EE2 was easily adsorbed by PAC. The adsorption of EE2 fitted the Freundlich model well. The influences of initial EE2 concentration, filtration rate, PAC dose, natural organic matter (NOM), and sodium dodecyl benzene sulfonate (SDBS) were investigated. The EE2 concentration and filtration rate had no significant effect on EE2 removal, whereas the addition of PAC had a significant effect on EE2 removal. The removal rate of EE2 increased dramatically from 7.01% to 80.03% as the PAC dose was increased from 0 to 10 mg/L. Both SDBS and NOM decreased the EE2 removal efficiency. The removal efficiency of EE2 in the PAC/UF process decreased from 86.77% to 42.64% as the SDBS concentration was increased from 0 to 50 mg/L. It was concluded that activated carbon adsorption and PAC/UF can be used for the effective removal of EE2 from water.
Highlights
In recent years, the removal of steroidal oestrogens, which can cause endocrine disruption, has become an important topic in water treatment research (Ma et al, 2016; Grover et al, 2011). 17α-Ethynylestradiol (EE2), the most common oestrogenic compound found in water, is generally used as an oestradiol alternative for the treatment of menopausal symptoms
The results indicated that EE2 was readily removed by powdered activated carbon (PAC) and a combined powdered activated carbon/ultrafiltration (PAC/UF) process
Removal efficiency of greater than 80% was achieved by the PAC/ UF process for a PAC dosage of 10 mg/L
Summary
The removal of steroidal oestrogens, which can cause endocrine disruption, has become an important topic in water treatment research (Ma et al, 2016; Grover et al, 2011). 17α-Ethynylestradiol (EE2), the most common oestrogenic compound found in water, is generally used as an oestradiol alternative for the treatment of menopausal symptoms. The removal of steroidal oestrogens, which can cause endocrine disruption, has become an important topic in water treatment research (Ma et al, 2016; Grover et al, 2011). EE2 in water can interfere with fetal sexual differentiation, cause genital cancer, and alter glucose metabolism (Aris et al, 2014; Karpova et al, 2007). For all these reasons, the European Union has recently added EE2 to a new’watch list;of emerging aquatic pollutants included in the Water Framework Directive (EC, 2013). Several methods for the removal of steroidal oestrogens from water have been explored. The development of new methods for the efficient removal of this pollutant from water bodies is necessary
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