Pharmaceuticals, natural and synthetic hormones and phenols in sediments from an eutrophic estuary, Jurujuba Sound, Guanabara Bay, Brazil

Abstract

A screening for microcontaminants performed by gas chromatography detected several microcontaminants in 12 sediment samples from the eutrophic estuary Guanabara Bay (GB) in southeastern Brazil. Bisphenol A (BPA) ranged from 1.4 to 20.3 ng g^-1, 4-octylphenol, from <limit of detection (LD) to 0.9 ng g^-1, 4-nonylphenol, from <LD to 3 ng g^-1, gemfibrozil, from <LD to 1.4 ng g^-1, naproxen, from <LD to 15.5 ng g^-1m Ibuprofen, from <LD ng g^-1 and diclofenac, from <LD to 0.9 ng g^-1. Among estrogens, estrone, estradiol, ethinylestradiol and estriol were detected, ranging, respectively from <LD to 5.7 ng g^-1, <LD to 18.1 ng g^-1, <LD to 22.9 ng g^-1 and <LD to 0.5 ng g^-1. A strong and positive correlation between 4-nonylphenol and estrone and a moderate and positive correlation between bisphenol A and estradiol were noted. These findings demonstrating high levels of the detected microcontaminants in all analyzed samples, indicating chronic GB pollution.

Keywords: Emerging contaminants; Endocrine disruptors; Sediment; Tropical bay.