This study aimed to evaluate the potential of clays from the State of Paraíba to be used for medicinal, therapeutic and aesthetic treatments. The samples were characterized by X-ray diffraction, X-ray fluorescence chemical composition, thermogravimetry, differential thermal analysis, laser diffraction granulometric analysis, cation exchange capacity, and antimicrobial activity. Based on the study, it was concluded that the clays from the State of Paraíba had properties similar to those of commercial clay. The antimicrobial evaluation revealed that the samples showed no activity against the three bacterial strains of clinical interest: Staphylococcus epidermidis ATCC 12 228, Staphylococcus aureus ATCC 25 923, and Escherichia coli ATCC 25 922. Finally, it was concluded that the clays studied have the potential for technological applications in medicinal, therapeutic, and aesthetic treatments, and as raw material for obtaining biomaterials, due to their stability and biological safety.Este trabalho teve como objetivo avaliar a potencialidade das argilas do estado da Paraíba, visando suas aplicações em tratamentos medicinais, terapêuticos e estéticos. As amostras das argilas foram caracterizadas pelas técnicas de difração de raios X, composição química por fluorescência de raios X, termogravimetria, análise térmica diferencial, análise granulométrica por difração a laser, capacidade de troca catiônica e atividade antimicrobiana. Com base no estudo, concluiu-se que as argilas do estado da Paraíba apresentaram propriedades similares à argila comercial. A avaliação antimicrobiana revelou que as amostras não apresentaram atividade frente a três cepas bacterianas de interesse clínico: Staphylococcus epidermidis ATCC 12 228, Staphylococcus aureus ATCC 25 923 e Escherichia coli ATCC 25 922. Por fim conclui-se que as argilas estudadas possuem potencial tecnológico para aplicações em tratamentos medicinais, terapêuticos, estéticos e como matéria-prima para obtenção de biomateriais, em virtude da sua estabilidade e segurança biológica. Palavras-chave: argilas, biominerais, caracterização, tratamento medicinal.

We investigated the degradation of 17α-ethynylestradiol in an aqueous solution using a batch heterogeneous photocatalytic (HPC) reactor with ultraviolet (UV) light and TiO 2 catalyst. In order to determine appropriate operating conditions, a 2 3 factorial experiment was conducted with initial an substrate concentration of 15 or 30 mg L -1 , TiO 2 concentration of 0.02 or 0.05%, pH of 5.0 or 9.0 and total reaction time 240 min. Degradation profiles and kinetic parameters were determined with an initial substrate concentration of 15 or 30 mg L -1 , 0.02% TiO 2 and pH 7.0.With17α-ethynylestradiol at 15 mg L -1 , degradation efficiency was 100% after 120 min independent of TiO 2 concentration and pH. However, less than 50% of the substrate was degraded when the initial concentration was 30 mg L -1 (0.05% TiO 2 and pH 5.0). Initial substrate concentration was a limiting factor for HPC, although the reaction was also strongly influenced by TiO 2 concentration and the interaction between initial substrate concentration and TiO 2 concentration. All degradations followed first-order kinetics. With 17α-ethynylestradiol at 15 mg L -1 , the half-life time (t ½ ) was 64.16 min and the rate constant was 0.108 min -1 , while at 30 mg L -1 , substrate degradation proceeded in two stages, the t ½ values of which were 44.71 and 433.12 min.Keywords: endocrine disrupters, reaction kinetic, water treatment. Degradação de 17α-etinilestradiol em água por fotocatálise heterogênea RESUMOO objetivo desse trabalho foi investigar a degradação de 17α-etinilestradiol em solução aquosa usando um reator fotocatalítico heterogêneo em batelada com radiação ultravioleta e TiO 2 como catalisador. Com a finalidade de obter as condições ideais, um planejamento fatorial 2 3 foi realizado com concentração inicial de 15 e 30 mg L -1 , concentração de TiO 2 de 0.02 e 0.05%, variou-se o pH em 5.0 e 9.0 e tempo total de reação de 240 min. O perfil da