Ocorrência de fármacos e desreguladores endócrinos em resíduos da estação de tratamento de água do Bolonha, Belém - PA

Abstract

Nowadays, the microcontaminants presence in water has been attracting the attention from scientific Community, since these compounds are found in small concentrations (ng/L or µg/L) and can cause adverse effects on the aquatic ecosystem and human health. Therefore, the presente study aimed to investigate the occurrence of 24 drugs and endocrine disruptors in water washing from Bolonha’s Water Treatment Plant (WTP) filters, located in Belém city, Northern region of Brazil. The correlation of these microcontaminants with physicochemical and biological characteristics investigated in the studied matrix was also evaluated. For the research, six sampling campaigns were carried out during the rainy season and six sampling campaigns in the dry season during the filter chamber washing. The compounds determination was carried out by solid phase extraction and chromatography coupled to mass spectrometry, gas chromatography for Ibuprofen, Paracetamol, 4-Nonylphenol, 4-Octylphenol, Bisphenol A, Gemfibrozil, Estrone, Estradiol, Etinilestradiol, Estriol, and in liquid phase for the Other compounds. The Losartana (5,5 to 738,7 ng/L) and Bisphenol A (20,9 to 518,9 ng/L) were detected in high concentrations and in all samples collected, being the compounds with the highest frequency of occurrence in matrix. The 4-Octyphenol (13,5 to 51 ng/L) and Loratadine (3,4 to 24,6 ng/L) showed low concentrations, however they were present in 11 of 12 samples showing a high frequency of occurrence in washing water. Caffeine (1090.2 ng/L) had the highest concentration among the contaminants, however, it was only detected in one sample. Multivariate analyzes showed that drugs and endocrine disruptors were more positively related to each other and to turbidity during the rainy season. It is worth noting that the compounds that were most strongly correlated with each other and with the physicochemical and biological variables of the washing water, in both periods, were 4-Octylphenol, Bisphenol A, Losartan and Loratadine. The study also suggests that the concentration of microcontaminants decreased with decreasing turbidity. In general, the results confirmed the influence of precipitation on the variables and indicated the presence of domestic sewage discharges in the supply system of the Bologna complex, especially as it is located in an area with intense anthropic activity.