New process for efficient removal of steroid hormones from water
An improved filtration system eliminates estradiol with an efficiency of
more than 99%

Date:
September 8, 2020
Source:
Karlsruher Institut fu"r Technologie (KIT)
Summary:
Micropollutants contaminate the water worldwide. Among them
are steroid hormones that cannot be eliminated efficiently by
conventional processes.

Researchers have developed an innovative filtration system that
combines a polymer membrane with activated carbon.



FULL STORY ========================================================================== Micropollutants contaminate the water worldwide. Among them are steroid hormones that cannot be eliminated efficiently by conventional processes.

Researchers of Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT) have now developed
an innovative filtration system that combines a polymer membrane with
activated carbon. As the size of the carbon particles is very small,
it is possible to reach the reference value of 1 nanogram estradiol --
the physiologically most effective estrogen -- per liter drinking water proposed by the European Commission. The improved method is reported in
Water Research.


========================================================================== Supplying people with clean water is one of the biggest challenges of
the 21st century worldwide. Often, drinking water is contaminated with micropollutants.

Among them are steroid hormones that are used as medical substances and contraceptives. Their concentration in one liter water, into which treated wastewater is fed, may be a few nanograms only, but this small amount
may already damage human health and affect the environment. Due to the
low concentration and small size of the molecules, steroid hormones not
only are difficult to detect, but also difficult to remove. Conventional
sewage treatment technologies are not sufficient.

Reference Value of the European Commission Is Reached Professor Andrea
Iris Scha"fer, Head of KIT's Institute for Advanced Membrane Technology
(IAMT) and her team have now developed an innovative method for the quick
and energy-efficient elimination of steroid hormones from wastewater.

Their technology combines a polymer membrane with activated
carbon. "First, water is pressed through a semipermeable membrane
that eliminates larger impurities and microorganisms," Scha"fer
explains. "Then, water flows through the layer of carbon particles behind, which bind the hormone molecules." At IAMT, researchers have further
developed and improved this process together with filter manufacturer
Blu"cher GmbH, Erkrath. Colleagues at KIT's Institute of Functional
Interfaces (IFG), Institute for Applied Materials (IAM), and the
Karlsruhe Nano Micro Facility (KNMF) supported this further development
by characterizing the material. This is reported by the scientists in
Water Research. "Our technology allows to reach the reference value of
1 nanogram estradiol per liter drinking water proposed by the European Commission," the Professor of Water Process Engineering says.

Particle Size and Oxygen Concentration Are Important Scientists studied
the processes in the activated carbon layer in more detail and used
modified carbon particles (polymer-based spherical activated carbon -
- PBSAC). "It all depends on the diameter of the carbon particles,"
Matteo Tagliavini of IAMT explains. He is the first author of the
publication. "The smaller the particle diameter is, the larger is the
external surface of the activated carbon layer available for adsorption
of hormone molecules." In an activated carbon layer of 2 mm thickness,
the researchers decreased the particle diameter from 640 to 80 ?m and
succeeded in eliminating 96% of the estradiol contained in the water. By increasing the oxygen concentration in the activated carbon, adsorption kinetics was further improved and a separation efficiency of estradiol of
more than 99% was achieved. "The method allows for a high water flow rate
at low pressure, is energy-efficient, and separates many molecules without producing any harmful by-products. It can be used flexibly in systems
of variable size, from the tap to industrial facilities," Scha"fer says.


========================================================================== Story Source: Materials provided by
Karlsruher_Institut_fu"r_Technologie_(KIT). Note: Content may be edited
for style and length.


========================================================================== Journal Reference:
1. Matteo Tagliavini, Peter Georg Weidler, Christian Njel, Julia Pohl,
Dennis Richter, Bertram Bo"hringer, Andrea
I. Scha"fer. Polymer-based spherical activated carbon -
ultrafiltration (UF-PBSAC) for the adsorption of steroid
hormones from water: Material characteristics and process
configuration. Water Research, 2020; 185: 116249 DOI: 10.1016/
j.watres.2020.116249 ==========================================================================

Link to news story: https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/09/200908101557.htm

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