Contaminated water is a big health risk for humans, animals, and the environment. The steroid hormones estrone, estradiol, progesterone, and testosterone can cause biological damage to humans and wildlife. The problem with hormones is that they are hard to detect because there is one hormone molecule per quintillion water molecules, which is a very low concentration. This new photocatalytic process is promising because its product is a potentially safe oxidation product. This experiment works by coating a large-pore polymer membrane with a palladium-containing, light-sensitive molecule that absorbs visible radiation. The radiation simulates the sun, which activates the chemical process producing singlet oxygen which specifically attacks the hormone molecules and converts them into a safe oxidation product. This reduced the concentration of estradiol by 98% from 100 to 2 nanograms per liter. The scientists’ goal for the future is to optimize the experiment.
Karlsruher Institut für Technologie (KIT). (2021, May 21). Water treatment: Removing hormones with sunlight. ScienceDaily. Retrieved May 28, 2021 from www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2021/05/210521115319.htm
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