THE CHEMISTRY IN THE HUMAN HEALTH RISK ASSESSMENT DUE PESTICIDES EXPOSURE. Pesticides are widely used worldwide in urban and rural environments. Since most pesticides are not selective for target species the concern about possible impacts on human health has increased for the workers exposed to these substances (occupational exposure) and for the general population (environmental exposure). Epidemiological studies, in vivo and in vitro have associated several diseases with pesticide exposure, such as cancer, diabetes, Parkinson’s, and others. Therefore, chemistry plays an important role in evaluation of external (food and drinking water) and internal (human biomonitoring) exposure to pesticides through of analytical methodologies, for instance, chromatography coupled with mass spectrometry, proving to be an important complement in the evaluation of risks of pesticides in human health.

Photocathodes with multiphasic Ag/AgBiW2O8/Bi2WO6 (Ag/ABW/BW) particles, obtained by hydrothermal synthesis, were evaluated for light-assisted oxygen reduction reaction (ORR). Under irradiation, electrodes of Ag/ABW/BW deposited on FTO exhibited ORR cathodic photocurrent enhancement and impedance decreasing (p-type semiconducting behavior). The Ag/ABW/BW particles were deposited on graphite sintered with PTFE; under irradiation and flow of compressed air, this gas diffusion electrode (GDE) produced H2O2 from ORR. The air-fed GDE|Ag/ABW/BW photocathode was associated with an FTO|TiO2 photoanode and externally connected with a silicon solar cell. Irradiated by a solar simulator, this photoreactor was used for remediation of amoxicillin (AMX) aqueous solution. After 3 h, 53% of AMX was degraded, while with a bare GDE, the AMX removal was 30%. Smaller values (<15%) were obtained using Pt or a GDE|Ag/ABW/BW under N2 flow as the cathode, since these configurations preclude the H2O2 production from ORR. Thus, association of photoactive electrodes in this innovative solar-driven photoreactor provides a sustainable system for water remediation.

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