17 α-Ethinylestradiol Degradation in Continuous Process by Photocatalysis Using Ag/Nb2O5 Immobilized in Biopolymer as Catalyst

This study describes the application of Ag/Nb2O5 catalysts, suspension and spheres alginate immobilized for degradation 17α-Ethinylestradiol (EE2). The techniques used to characterize photocatalysts were as follows: X-ray diffraction (XRD), N2 adsorption–desorption analysis (BET), point charge zero (PZC), scanning electron microscopy (SEM) energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS). Different catalyst calcination temperatures studied by keeping silver metal loading at 5%. Among operational conditions analyzed pH, concentration, emitting source radiation inlet flow rate (in continuous operation). results experiments performed initially with in revealed that highest catalytic activity EE2 was 5%Ag/Nb2O5 calcined 973 K, which removed 77.7% initial pollutant concentration 120 min reaction. immobilization resulted a reduction, being able degrade 69.2% batch system. In system, obtained total degraded 37.3%, 10 L·h−1. Catalyst reuse promising, even dropping removal, degrading around 27% third cycle use.