Sonophotocatalysis of endocrine-disrupting chemicals.

Sonolysis and photolysis often exhibit synergistic effects in the degradation of organic molecules. An assay of fish oocyte maturation provides an appropriate experimental system to investigate the hormonal activities of chemical agents. Oocyte maturation in fish is triggered by maturation-inducing hormone (MIH), which acts on receptors on the oocyte surface.

Treatment of dye wastewater by using photo-catalytic oxidation with sonication.

The degradation of Acid Orange 52 in aqueous solutions was investigated by using three processes (photocatalysis, sonolysis, and photocatalysis with sonication). In the case of photocatalysis, although the concentration of Acid Orange 52 decreased to 35% in 480 min, the color of the solution was not disappeared. In the case of sonolysis, it was decomposed completely in 300 min, but the total organic carbon concentration decreased down by only about 13% in 480 min.