The aqueous degradation of bisphenol A and steroid estrogens by ferrate

Abstract

The aqueous reactivity of five prominent endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDCs) with potassium ferrate has been studied. The degradation kinetics and reaction pathways for bisphenol A (BPA) have been considered in detail, and the reaction rate constants for 17α-ethynylestradiol (EE2), estrone (E1), β-estradiol (E2), and estriol (E3) have been determined, from tests carried out in the pH range of 8–12 and at different reactant molar ratios. The rate constants were determined by a kinetic model incorporating the various species equilibria for the EDC compounds and ferrate, using observations of the temporal reduction in EDC and ferrate concentrations. (See Article file for details of the abstract.)