Removal of Endocrine Disruptor Bisphenol A from Water

双酚A （BPA）是一种主要用于制造聚碳酸酯塑料和环氧树脂的化合物。该化合物已被确认为内分泌干扰物，是一种环境污染物；在水生环境中无处不在。虽然急性或慢性暴露的许多健康风险尚不清楚，但BPA已被证明会导致激素失衡，降低或阻止人类和一些水生物种的生育能力。最近，欧盟宣布禁止使用基于bpaba的热敏纸（用于打印收银员收据），并将从2020年开始实施。由于双酚a被列入“高度关注物质”候选名单，预计在不久的将来会出台进一步的立法来限制其使用。发展可持续的方法来控制双酚a在水生环境中的浓度，对于维持生态系统的可持续性和控制水质非常重要。在可预见的未来，BPA将继续从垃圾填埋场（地下水管理不严格的地方）和海洋和淡水中的塑料污染中提取，这将继续发挥重要作用。目前的双酚a去除工艺主要基于淡水处理，非常耗能、成本高，而且/或去除效率低。该项目旨在创造一种漂浮装置，可以以低能源成本从水中去除BPA，并且不需要破坏现有的水处理基础设施。基于之前的结果，我们相信在博士项目范围内开发、测试和优化可持续的双酚a去除装置是可能的。在这个项目中，也有可能调整工艺以去除BPA的有毒类似物，这些类似物通常被用作“无BPA”塑料的替代品。该装置的潜在应用包括在塑料废物集中地区（如海洋环流）处理海水，在沿海废水排放点处理海水，以及在水库处理淡水。该研究项目依赖于与电子和电气工程的合作，用于设备构建，化学工程用于生物降解分析，并在化学（电化学和分析方法）的不同领域开展工作。这项工作将分为四个关键领域；电化学优化，分析方法的发展，聚合双酚a降解的过程，以及可操作的双酚a移动装置的构建。电化学过程：这将包括测试去除过程中使用的电化学条件和电极材料。对于不同的样品条件，优化去除过程也是必要的；BPA浓度，自由基清除剂的存在，“真正的水”样本，以及来自不同环境的样本。分析方法：分析方法对于准确定量BPA水平和去除效率非常重要。需要其他的分析方法来确定副产物形成、聚合物表征和毒性/雌激素活性评估。需要开发重要的分析方法来评估替代污染物的水平。降解：通过聚合物形成去除双酚a后，可以考虑降解聚合物的方法来再生电极材料。这些方法可能包括紫外线处理、电化学还原解吸或利用微生物燃料电池中的细菌菌落进行生物降解过程。设备结构：从环境中去除双酚a将需要能够执行电化学过程的功能性浮动设备。一旦成功建立移除流程，这些设备的设计、建造、测试和优化将成为项目的一部分。该系统将被设计为包括可再生能源，以增加该过程的可持续性和自给自足。

Bisphenol A (BPA) is a compound used primarily in the manufacture of polycarbonate plastics and epoxy resins. Thecompound has been confirmed as an endocrine disruptor chemical & is an environmental pollutant; ubiquitousacross aquatic environments.Whilst many health risks from acute or chronic exposure remain unknown, BPA has been shown to cause hormoneimbalances and reduce or prevent fertility in humans & several aquatic species. Recently, an EU ban on BPAbased thermal paper (used for printed cashiers' receipts) was announced and will be enforced from 2020. As BPA ison the candidate list for 'substances of very high concern', it is expected that further legislation limiting its use will beintroduced in the near future.Development of sustainable methods to control BPA concentrations, across aquatic environments, is important tomaintain the sustainability of eco-systems, and for control of water quality. This will continue to be important for theforeseeable future as BPA leeches out of waste in landfill (where ground water management is not tightly controlled)and from plastic pollution in oceans and freshwater.Current BPA removal processes are predominantly based on freshwater treatment and are very energy intensive,cost intensive, and/or demonstrate low removal efficiencies.This project aims to create a floating device which can remove BPA from water, at low energy cost, and without theneed for disruption to existing water processing infrastructure. Based on previous results, we believe it is possible todevelop, test, and optimise a sustainable BPA removal device within the scope of a PhD project. Within this project,there is also the possibility to adjust the process to remove toxic analogues of BPA - which are often used asreplacements in 'BPA free' plastics.Potential applications for this device include treatment of sea water in areas of concentrated plastic waste (such asocean gyres), at coastal waste water discharge points, and freshwa ter treatment in reservoirs.This research project relies on collaboration with Electronic and Electrical Engineering for device construction,Chemical Engineering for bio-degradation analysis, and works on different areas within Chemistry (electrochemistryand analytical methods). The work will fall into four key areas; electrochemical optimisation, development ofanalytical methods, processes for the degradation of polymerised BPA, and construction of an operational BPAremoval device.Electrochemical Process:This will involve testing the electrochemical conditions and electrode materials used in the removal process.Optimisation of the removal process will also be necessary for different sample conditions; BPA concentration,presence of radical scavengers, 'real water' samples, and samples from different environments.Analytical Methods:Analytical methods will be important for accurate quantification of BPA levels and removal efficiencies. Additionalmethods for analysis will be needed to determine by-product formation, for polymer characterization, and toxicity/estrogenic activity assessment. Significant analytical method development will be required to assess levels ofalternative pollutants.Degradation:Following removal of BPA by polymer formation, methods for degrading the polymer can be considered to regeneratethe electrode material. These methods could include UV treatment, electrochemical reductive desorption, orbiological degradation processes using bacterial colonies within microbial fuel cells.Device Construction:Removal of BPA from the environment will require functional floating devices which can carry out the electrochemicalprocess. Design, construction, testing, and optimisation of these devices will be part of the project once successfulremoval processes are established. The system will be designed to include a renewable power source, to increasethe sustainability and self-sufficiency of the process.