The Study on the Effectiveness of the Mycoestrogens Removal from Water via Integrated Sorption-Photocatalysis-Nanofiltration System

The efficiency of mycoestrogens removal by means of integrated sorptionphotocatalysis- nanofiltration system was evaluated. The hydraulic capacity of membranes was also investigated. The simulated solution based on tap water with the addition of humic acids as well as surface water were treated. Zeara-lenone and α-zearalenol were added to both treated waters in the amount of 500 μg/dm³. The sorption process with the use of powdered activated carbon was carried out simultaneously with photocatalysis in the medium-pressure reactor equipped with immersed lamp (the time of the treatment was established at 5 min). Next, after separation of carbon and photocatalyst particles the water was treated via nanofiltration. The obtained results were compared with ones derived for single stage treatments (i.e. photocatalysis, nanofiltration) and integrated systems of photocatalysis-nanofiltration and sorption-photocatalysis. The removal rate of mycoestrogens exceeded 82% (simulated water) for 3-stage integrated system and was much higher than for photocatalysis performed as a single stage and integrated with sorption. It was also found that the addition of activated carbon improved the hydraulic capacity of membranes. The relative permeability of nanofiltration membranes was higher for the system with photocatalysis enhanced with sorption. Additionally, the polishing of water via nanofiltration enabled the total removal of high-molecular weight organic compounds (UV absorbance values) as well as the decrease of inorganic compounds concentration (conductivity measurements).