Photochemical contribution of reactive species on the degradation of organic pollutants using solar simulator and gamma radiation

Abstract

The water contamination by residual pharmaceuticals is frequently reported in the literature. The effects of such residues in humans are not well elucidated, however, breast, testicular and prostate and reduced male fertility are diseases which are related to these contaminants. Thus, it is necessary to study processes that promote degradation of these emerging contaminants. In this research project will be evaluate the efficiency of pollutants degradation present in aqueous solution using direct and indirect photolysis (solar simulator) and water ionization process by gamma irradiation (in practice the use of electron beams as the source of radiation). Studies of advanced technology for treating water contaminated by both antibiotic sulfamethazine (SMT) and sulfamerazine (SMR) during electrophilic addition reaction with hydroxyl radicals will be conducted, identifying its main by-products by LC/MS. Special attention will be given to evaluating the persistence of antibiotics in various environmental conditions for understanding the environmental fate of organic pollutants in water. (AU)