Degradation of steroid androgen in aqueous solution using ionizing radiation and thermal activation persulfate processes

In present work, the degradation of a steroid androgen, androstenedione (AD) in aqueous solution was investigated using both gamma ray and thermal activation persulfate (PS) processes. Gamma irradiation effectively degraded AD and the addition of PS synergistically improved the effect. The AD concentration decreased with increasing absorbed dose and PS dosage. The rate constant of AD degradation was 4.92/kGy for γ-irradiation alone, increasing by 1.23–1.55 times with PS dosages of 10–30 mg/L. AD exhibited a high thermal stability, and heat activated PS efficient for its degradation. The apparent activation energy for AD degradation was determined to be 98.0 kJ/mol. Oxidation by OH is the major mechanism to degrade AD, while SO4– also play a role in both processes. Both methods were also effective to removed AD from groundwater and fermentation residues, providing a promising option for steroid androgen removal from wastewater and solid wastes.