In the present work, the degradation of three estrogens (17β-estradiol (E2), estrone (E1) and 17α-ethinylestradiol (EE2)) was investigated under photoactivation of hydrogen peroxide and persulfate. Lab-scale irradiation experiments showed that both UVA and UVB radiations are able to photoactivate the oxidant precursors, although UVB is more efficient to generate radicals and therefore to degrade the targets. The efficiency of both oxidant precursors was investigated showing higher efficiency in the system with persulfate. The pseudo-first order degradation rate constants and the second order rate constants between the hydroxyl or the sulfate radicals and estrogens were measured. In order to evaluate the process efficiency in real treatment conditions, the degradation of the estrogens spiked into sewage treatment plant effluent was studied. Measurements of second order rate constants between the radical and the effluent organic matter by laser flash photolysis allowed to understand the involved quenching mechanisms. A Yeast Estrogen Screen (YES) assay was used to follow the decrease in estrogenic activity during the estrogen degradation. This assay permitted to ensure that the studied processes are not only able to degrade the estrogens but also to remove their estrogenic activity.

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