title: Degradation of gestodene (GES)-17α-ethinylestradiol (EE2) mixture by electrochemical oxidation.
abstract: Evidence of the negative effects of several pharmaceutical molecules, such as hormones and steroids, on the environment can be observed throughout the world. This paper presents the results of the anodic oxidation of the mixture of gestodene steroid hormones and 17 α-ethinylestradiol present in aqueous medium. The tests were conducted in an undivided cell containing a working volume of 50 mL, using a Na2SO4solution as support electrolyte and boron-doped diamond electrodes. The experiments were adjusted to the structure of a 33factorial design. The evaluated factors were: support electrolyte concentration (0.02, 0.05, and 0.10 M), pH of the reaction media (2, 3, and 4), and current density (16, 32, and 48 mA cm-2). Under the optimum conditions (0.02 M Na2SO4, pH 4, and current density of 32 mA cm-2), the degradation of at least 93% of the initial concentration of gestodene and 17α-ethinylestradiol was reached in a reaction time of 5 and 10 min, respectively. The complete degradation of both molecules required 15 min of reaction. Under these conditions, the degradation profile of the pharmaceutical mixture as each one of the active ingredients, followed a pseudo-first order kinetic behavior (kmix= 0.0321, kGES= 0.4206, and kEE2= 0.3209 min-1).
authors.affiliation: Escuela de Ingeniería Ambiental, Facultad de Ingeniería de la Universidad de Ciencias y Artes de Chiapas, Lib. Norte Pte. No. 1150, Colonia Lajas Maciel, Tuxtla Gutiérrez, Chiapas C.P. 29039, México.
authors.forename: Hugo Alejandro
authors.initials: HA
authors.lastname: Nájera-Aguilar
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Ingeniería Química y Bioquímica, Instituto Tecnológico de Tapachula, Km. 2 carretera a Puerto Madero, Tapachula, Chiapas C.P. 30700, México E-mail: rgutierrez@ittapachula.edu.mx.
authors.forename: Rubén Fernando
authors.initials: RF
authors.lastname: Gutiérrez-Hernández
authors.affiliation: Escuela de Ingeniería Ambiental, Facultad de Ingeniería de la Universidad de Ciencias y Artes de Chiapas, Lib. Norte Pte. No. 1150, Colonia Lajas Maciel, Tuxtla Gutiérrez, Chiapas C.P. 29039, México.
authors.forename: Rocío
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: González de Los Santos
authors.affiliation: Escuela de Ingeniería Ambiental, Facultad de Ingeniería de la Universidad de Ciencias y Artes de Chiapas, Lib. Norte Pte. No. 1150, Colonia Lajas Maciel, Tuxtla Gutiérrez, Chiapas C.P. 29039, México.
authors.forename: Carlos
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: García-Lara
authors.affiliation: Facultad de Ingeniería, Universidad Autónoma de Yucatán, Av. Industrias no contaminantes por Periférico Nte. s/n, Mérida, Yucatán, México.
authors.forename: Roger
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Méndez-Novelo
authors.affiliation: Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Instituto de Ingeniería, Coordinación de Ingeniería Ambiental, Cd. de México C.P. 04510, México.
authors.forename: María Neftalí
authors.initials: MN
authors.lastname: Rojas-Valencia
mesh_terms: D001895:Boron / Q000737:chemistry; D003280:Contraceptives, Oral, Synthetic / Q000737:chemistry; D018130:Diamond / Q000737:chemistry; D055664:Electrochemical Techniques; D004566:Electrodes; D004967:Estrogens / Q000737:chemistry; D004997:Ethinyl Estradiol / Q000737:chemistry*; D009652:Norpregnenes / Q000737:chemistry*; D010084:Oxidation-Reduction; D011372:Progestins / Q000737:chemistry; D014865:Waste Disposal, Fluid; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical / Q000737:chemistry*
chemical_list: D003280:Contraceptives, Oral, Synthetic; D004967:Estrogens; D009652:Norpregnenes; D011372:Progestins; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical; C033273:Gestodene; D004997:Ethinyl Estradiol; D018130:Diamond; D001895:Boron