17-β-Estradiol: Significant reduction of its toxicity in water treated by photocatalysis.

The aim of this study was to assess the efficiency of photocatalysis by TiO2 on the removal of 17-β-estradiol (E2) (at environmentally relevant concentrations) and the toxicity caused by this emerging pollutant. After 60min of TiO2/UV treatment at pilot scale (14L), E2 was removed from water approximately 85%. The toxicity was established by using Cyprinus carpio as bioindicator organism and oxidative stress biomarkers (OSB): [lipid peroxidation level (LPX), hydroperoxide content (HPC) and protein carbonyl content (PCC)] and enzymes [superoxide dismutase (SOD) and catalase (CAT)]. It was found that the photocatalytic treatment led to significantly reduce OSB in approximately 85-95%. Thus, it can be concluded that heterogeneous photocatalysis by TiO2 is an efficient process to eliminate the toxicity caused by E2 and thus to remediate water polluted with this molecule.