Ocorrência de Fármacos e compostos Desreguladores de Endócrinos na água tratada da ETA Jiqui, Natal/RN

Abstract

The water sources used for urban supply in the city of Natal/RN have a high vulnerability to contaminant loads due to the low coverage of the sanitary sewage system in some regions of the city, making them potential sources of micropollutants of emerging interest. The objective of this study was to evaluate the occurrence of 24 emerging microcontaminants, sixteen drugs and eight endocrine disruptors (ED), in the treated water of ETA Jiqui, Natal/RN, besides to analyze the quality of this water from the application of the Water Quality Index Canadian (WQI-CCME) incorporating microcontaminants detected as variables of interest in the calculation. The experimental work consisted of collections and physicochemical and microbiological analyses performed for 18 months. The parameters analyzed were the drugs Aciclovir, Bezafibrate, Caffeine, Diclofenac, Diltiazem, Gemfibrozil, Ibuprofen, Linezolid, Loratadine, Losartan, Metformin, Naproxen, Acetaminophen, Promethazine, Propranolol, and Sulfamethoxazole. The Endocrine Disrupting were Compounds 4-Octylphenol, 4-nonylphenol, Bisphenol A, Dexamethasone, Estradiol, Estriol, Estrone, and Ethinylestradiol, besides of the physicochemical and microbiological parameters Free Residual Chlorine, Chlorides, Total Coliforms, Apparent Color, Total Hardness, E. Coli, Total Iron, Nitrate, Nitrite, pH, Solids Dissolved Totals, Sulfates, and Turbidity, resulting in 37 control parameters. Among the emerging microcontaminants monitored, ten pharmaceuticals compounds and four endocrine disrupters were detected in at least one collection campaign. The drugs detected were Ibuprofen, Naproxen, Acyclovir, Sulfamethoxazole, Propanolol, Losartan, Gemfibrozil, Metformin, Promethazine, and Loratadine. Regarding the ED, it was possible to observe 4-Octylphenol, 4-Nonylphenol, Bisphenol A, and Estrone. The calculated WQI-CCME was 91.19, which reaches the category of GOOD quality for the treated water of ETA Jiqui. Despite detection in treated water, it was concluded that no microcontaminant has exceeded the exposure limit compared to the limits set by the Australian Guidelines for Water Recycling (phase 2/2008), resulting in no significant risk to consumer health over the entire life of the consumer, being consistent with good quality water.