Contamination with endocrine disrupting chemicals or EDCs such as 17β-estradiol (E2) is of concern due to their prevalence and toxicity to aquatic organisms. Furthermore, E2 is harmful to aquatic organisms at concentrations as low as the ng L<sup>-1</sup>. Clay minerals play an important role in the fate of contaminants in the aquatic environments. Iron-rich clay minerals can provide an effective remediation solution. We tested the ability of an iron-rich nontronite (NAu-1) to immobilize and transform 17β-estradiol. The structure of NAu-1 contains an expanding interlayer large enough to accommodate E2; thus, sorption of E2 via NAu-1 is a favorable process. Furthermore, when NAu-1 is activated with aqueous Fe(II), the Fe(III) residing in clay mineral structure becomes redox reactive. The structural Fe(III) in Fe(II)-activated NAu-1 can oxidize E2 to a variety of potentially estrogenic compounds.<br/><br/>This project was designed to understand the oxidation and sorption of E2 by NAu-1 and Fe (II)-activated NAu-1. Batch reactor experiments were performed under anoxic conditions. The kinetics of oxidation and sorption of E2 were analyzed by liquid chromatography tandem-mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS). Preliminary data indicate that Fe(II)-activated NAu-1 oxidizes E2 within minutes, and the reactivity is concentration dependent.

Oxidation of 17β-estradiol by Fe(II)-activated nontronite

2019 Spring National Meeting

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