PROCESSOS OXIDATIVOS AVANÇADOS UTILIZADOS NA DEGRADAÇÃO DO 17α -ETINILESTRADIOL: REVISÃO BIBLIOGRÁFICA, COMPARAÇÃO ENTRE OS PRINCIPAIS MÉTODOS E ANÁLISE BIBLIOMÉTRICA

Abstract

This study investigated the use of Advanced Oxidative Processes (AOPs) for the degradation of the hormone 17α-ethinylestradiol (EE2), present in effluents due to the increasing use of hormonal contraceptives, through an extensive literature review. The main objective was to compare the efficiency of different AOP methods, identify their limitations, and perform a bibliometric analysis to map scientific trends in the field. Data were collected from articles, dissertations, and theses, with a focus on processes such as Solar Photo-Fenton, heterogeneous photocatalysis, catalytic ozonation, and photo-ozonation. The results indicated that combined AOPs, such as Solar Photo-Fenton, are the most efficient, achieving up to 99.7% degradation of EE2, while isolated photolysis showed lower efficiency, with only 5% removal in some cases. The bibliometric analysis revealed that China, the United States, and Germany lead scientific publications on the topic, and that scientific output has been growing exponentially since 2010. The use of solar energy in AOPs was highlighted as a sustainable and economically viable approach. The study concluded that AOPs are promising tools for treating effluents containing emerging contaminants; however, the optimization of parameters such as pH, reagent concentrations, and reaction time is crucial for their efficiency. Further studies on the toxicity of generated by-products and exploration of AOPs' application on an industrial scale are recommended. These advancements are essential for protecting public health and the quality of aquatic ecosystems.