Degradation of endocrine disruptors carbofuran, methylparaben and propylparaben via electrogenerated H2O2 and associated processes (electrogenerated H2O2/UV, electro-Fenton e photoelectro-Fenton)

• Grant number: 16/19612-4
• Support type: Scholarships in Brazil - Doctorate (Direct)
• Effective date (Start): April 01, 2017
• Effective date (End): July 31, 2020
• Field of knowledge: Engineering - Sanitary Engineering
• Principal Investigator: Marcos Roberto de Vasconcelos Lanza
• Grantee: Paulo Jorge Marques Cordeiro Junior
• Home Institution: Instituto de Química de São Carlos (IQSC). Universidade de São Paulo (USP). São Carlos , SP, Brazil
• Associated research grant: 17/10118-0 - Study and application of electrochemical technology for the analysis and degradation of endocrine interferents: materials, sensors, processes and scientific dissemination, AP.TEM

Abstract

The main environmental problems faced by society, the contamination of water bodies is one of the most serious, mainly due to micropollutants present, even in very low concentrations entail several problems for the living beings. Among these pollutants, endocrine disrupters stand out because they are substances that can interfere in the endocrine system, causing changes in hormones in animals and diseases like endometriosis, breast and prostate cancer in humans. The endocrine disrupters carbofuran, methyl paraben and propyl paraben due to their high solubility in water, high toxicity and bioaccumulation, contribute significantly to the pollution of water bodies. Aiming at the treatment of industrial effluents, the main source of water pollution, highlights the advanced oxidation processes, which through the generation of hydroxyl radicals (HO*), are capable of degrading organic compounds into innocuous compounds. One of the precursors of hydroxyl radicals is the hydrogen peroxide (H2O2), which can be electrogenerated in situ using The Gas Diffusion Electrodes (GDE). The GDE provide greater efficiency compared to conventional processes for electrogeneration H2O2, especially when they have modifications with metallic compounds. The metal-based electrocatalysts, which can be used, are cobalt and niobium, in the form of metallic complexes, due to their redox properties and chemical stability. Thus, this project aims to carry out the synthesis and characterization of cobalt and niobium complexes and to apply them in the gas diffusion electrodes to H2O2 electrogeneration. Subsequently, the best conditions obtained will be applied in the degradation of endocrine disruptors carbofuran, methyl paraben and propyl paraben in a cell counter and an electrochemical reactor flow. The monitoring of the degradation step is conducted using the UV/Visible spectroscopy, High-Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC), Liquid Chromatography coupled with Mass Spectrometry (LC-MS), Ion Chromatography (IC) and Total Organic Carbon (TOC). (AU)

Scientific publications

(References retrieved automatically from Web of Science and SciELO through information on FAPESP grants and their corresponding numbers as mentioned in the publications by the authors)

MARQUES CORDEIRO-JUNIOR, PAULO JORGE; GONCALVES, ROGER; GUARALDO, THAIS TASSO; PAIVA, ROBERT DA SILVA; PEREIRA, ERNESTO CHAVES; DE VASCONCELOS LANZA, MARCOS ROBERTO. Oxygen reduction reaction: Semi-empirical quantum mechanical and electrochemical study of Printex L6 carbon black. Carbon, v. 156, p. 1-9, JAN 2020. Web of Science Citations: 0.