4-Hydroxybenzoic acid CAS No. 99-96-7

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Description

4-Hydroxybenzoic acid (4-HBA), also known as p-hydroxybenzoic acid, is both a significant environmental contaminant and a valuable chemical intermediate. It is a phenolic compound frequently encountered in agroindustrial wastewaters—particularly from olive oil production, distilleries, and food processing—and is known for its toxicity and resistance to biological degradation, posing serious challenges for conventional wastewater treatments ^[1][3]. Advanced oxidation processes (AOPs), such as Fenton’s reagent, UV/H₂O₂, and ozonation, have been evaluated for their efficiency in degrading 4-HBA. Fenton's oxidation, while traditionally assumed to act via hydroxyl radicals, may involve other oxidizing species such as ferryl ions, depending on operating conditions like pH and substrate concentration ^[1]. Comparative studies of various AOPs have revealed that processes involving multiple oxidants (e.g., UV/H₂O₂/O₃/Fe²⁺) exhibit significantly higher degradation efficiencies due to synergistic radical generation ^[3]. These findings underscore the importance of fine-tuning operational parameters to effectively eliminate 4-HBA from wastewater and reduce its inhibitory effects on downstream biological treatments.

Beyond environmental concerns, 4-HBA plays a foundational role in the synthesis of parabens—methyl, propyl, butyl esters—used extensively as preservatives in food, cosmetics, and pharmaceuticals ^[2]. These esters exhibit broad-spectrum antimicrobial activity and are prized for their stability, safety profile, and low cost. Despite widespread regulatory approval and historical safety data, recent scrutiny has emerged regarding the potential endocrine-disrupting effects of parabens, especially in relation to estrogenic activity and possible links to breast cancer and reproductive toxicity. Nevertheless, toxicological assessments remain inconclusive, with most studies highlighting rapid metabolism and low systemic accumulation ^[2]. On the industrial front, 4-HBA has also gained prominence as a versatile platform chemical in biotechnological applications, serving as a precursor to high-value compounds like resveratrol and vanillyl alcohol through engineered biosynthetic pathways ^[4]. This dual role of 4-HBA—as both a pollutant requiring remediation and a biotechnological asset—places it at the intersection of environmental engineering and synthetic biology, offering opportunities for sustainable innovation alongside ecological responsibility.

[1] "Oxidation of p-hydroxybenzoic acid by Fenton's reagent", Water Research , Volume 35, Issue 2, February 2001, Pages 387-396

[2] "Safety assessment of esters of p-hydroxybenzoic acid (parabens)", Water Research , Volume 35, Issue 2, February 2001, Pages 387-396

[3] "Comparison of the degradation of p-hydroxybenzoic acid in aqueous solution by several oxidation processes", Chemosphere, Volume 42, Issue 4, February 2001, Pages 351-359

[4] "4-Hydroxybenzoic acid—a versatile platform intermediate for value-added compounds", Appl Microbiol Biotechnol 102, 3561–3571 (2018).

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