Avaliação da contaminação por acetaminofeno, ácido salicílico, diclofenaco e bisfenol-A em águas de rios da bacia de Jacarepaguá com a utilização de sistema SPE desenvolvido para o tratamento de amostras de grandes volumes

Abstract

Pollution of water bodies by emerging contaminants poses an additional threat to environmental health. The objective of this study was to establish an analytic method to detect and evaluate the presence and distribution of acetaminophen, salicylic acid, diclofenac and bisphenol-A in four rivers that empty into the Jacarepaguá lagoon complex in the city of Rio de Janeiro. An automated solid-phase extraction (SPE) system was developed to process water samples in large volumes. The article presents some opportunities to improve conventional SPE systems, the quality differentials of the proposed system, the basic design flowchart, details of the system s components and a description of its operation. The extractions were carried out with Strata X SPE cartridges. The analytic method was validated using one-liter simulated solutions based on standard compounds at different concentrations. The extracts with the analytes were injected for analysis by high-pressure liquid chromatography (HPLC) with ultraviolet (UV) detection, considering a single method for the four compounds due to their widespread presence in wastewater and surface water. The method was validated by statistical assessment of the results considering linearity, working range, instrumental detection limit, instrumental quantification limit, repeatability and recovery. The average recovery rates of acetaminophen, salicylic acid, bisphenol-A and a diclofenac in the simulated samples were 10%, 71%, 80% and 73%, respectively. The SPE system was then used for extraction of analytes in surface water samples from five collection points distributed among the Camorim, Arroio Pavuna, Grande and Arroio Fundo rivers. The extracts obtained were injected in the apparatus for quantification using high-pressure liquid chromatography (HPLC) combined with time-of-flight mass spectrometry (TOF MS). The concentrations of the target compounds in the rivers were substantial, with bisphenol-A being the compound with greatest occurrence at the sampled points