This paper describes the adsorption of 17β-estradiol (E2) and 17α-ethinylestradiol (EE2) from aqueous solution by decomposed peat. The peat presented a good adsorption process, close to 76.2% for E2 removal and approximately 55.0% for EE2. Moreover, the results indicated a probable multi-layered process. Adsorption isotherms were well fitted by Freundlich model. The data were evaluated considering the pseudo-first-order and pseudo-second-order approaches, being the second more significant mechanism in the rate-controlling step. Thermodynamic data revealed that hormones adsorption onto peat is spontaneous under the employed experimental conditions. The results confirmed the potential of this adsorbent to be employed for effluents treatment.

Os valores de acidez carboxílica (CA), fenólica (PhA) e total (TA) de um conjunto de cinco amostras padrão da Sociedade Internacional de Substâncias Húmicas (IHSS) e de quatro compostos modelo foram determinados pelo método de titulação potenciométrica. Os dados das curvas de titulação foram tratados pelo programa BEST7 assim como pela equação de Henderson-Hasselbalch modificada (MHHM) e os parâmetros obtidos mostraram-se extremamente dependentes do modelo matemático aplicado. Para as amostras de substâncias húmicas (SH), a aplicação da MHHM resultou em uma alta CA e uma baixa PhA, sendo o resultado praticamente oposto quando o programa BEST7 foi empregado. No caso dos compostos modelo entretanto, os valores de acidez convergiram aos valores esperados (teóricos) independente do modelo aplicado. Para investigar as razões das discrepâncias, variações na condução das titulações (p.e., titulação rápida ou lenta) também foram consideradas. O conjunto de informações mostrou que a determinação da acidez de SH por titulação potenciométrica é extremamente dependente do modelo matemático, assim como das condições experimentais aplicadas.

Carboxylic (CA), phenolic (PhA) and total (TA) acidity contents of five International Humic Substances Society (IHSS) standards and four model compounds were determined via the potentiometric titration method. Titration curves were scrutinized both by the BEST7 algorithm and the modified Henderson-Hasselbalch model (MHHM). In the case of IHSS samples, the fitting data depended on the analytical procedure undertaken. Whilst high CA and low PhA were usually recorded using the MHHM, the opposite trend was observed employing the BEST7 algorithm. In contrast, in the case of model compounds the acidity values matched well with theoretical data regardless of the procedure. In order to better understand the reasons for such discrepancies changes in the titrations procedure (e.g.: fast or slow) were also considered. General data strongly suggest that acidity determination of humic substances (HS) by potentiometric methods is extremely dependent on both the choice of mathematical model to fit experimental data points as well as the experimental conditions employed.