Photocatalytic degradation of endocrine disruptor compounds under simulated solar light

Abstract

Nanostructured titanium materials with high UV-visible activity were synthesized in thecollaborative project Clean Water FP7. In this study, the efficiency of some of these catalyststo degrade endocrine disruptor compounds, using bisphenol A as the model compound,was evaluated. Titanium dioxide P25 (AEROXIDE TiO2, Evonik Degussa) was usedas the reference. The photocatalytic degradation was carried out under the UV part of asimulated solar light (280e400 nm) and under the full spectrum of a simulated solar light(200 nm-30 mm). Catalytic efficiency was assessed using several indicators such as theconversion yield, the mineralization yield, by-product formation and the endocrinedisruption effect of by-products. The new synthesized catalysts exhibited a significantdegradation of bisphenol A, with the so-called ECT-1023t being the most efficient. Theintermediates formed during photocatalytic degradation experiments with ECT-1023t ascatalyst were monitored and identified. The estrogenic effect of the intermediates was alsoevaluated in vivo using a ChgH-GFP transgenic medaka line. The results obtained show thatthe formation of intermediates is related to the nature of the catalyst and depends on theexperimental conditions. Moreover, under simulated UV, in contrast with the results obtainedusing P25, the by-products formed with ECT-1023t as catalyst do not present anestrogenic effect.