The removal of endocrine disrupting compounds (EDCs) present in waters and effluents has been proposed both by physical, chemical, and biological treatment methods and by the use of enzymes produced by living beings. While some methods prove efficient, it is known that steroid transformation can generate by-products with similar or increased disruptive capacity over the parent compounds. This study aimed to evaluate the removal of the progesterone molecule in oxidizing and enzymatic media and. to verify the formation of by-products. The samples were evaluated under different conditions when submitted to oxidizing media (pH, time, temperature, salinity) and enzyme medium (pH, time, enzymatic concentration). From the analyses, it was verified that the samples submitted to the oxidizing media presented lower average removal (18.7%) than the samples submitted to enzyme laccase (36.7%). Among the samples submitted to the oxidizing media, the positive influence of hydrogen peroxide on the average removal of progesterone (20.8%) was observed. While for the samples submitted to the enzymatic medium progesterone removal favored (43.9%) occurred in buffer solution pH 5 and the most extended incubation period (300 min). The generation of degradation byproducts was observed in the samples submitted to oxidizing media (12 by-products) and in the samples submitted to the enzymatic medium (a by-product). Thus, it is concluded that enzymatic media are more effective than oxidizing means in the removal of progesterone and that the generation of byproducts from progesterone occurs along with the exposure to both media.
Endocrine disrupting compounds (EDCs) and pharmaceuticals and personal care products (PPCPs) in the aquatic environment: implications for the drinking water industry and global environmental health