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Emerging contaminants, including microplastics, in surface waters: uses of watersheds and impacts on the environment

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Author(s):
Vinicius Sarracini Santos
Total Authors: 1
Document type: Master's Dissertation
Press: Campinas, SP.
Institution: Universidade Estadual de Campinas (UNICAMP). Instituto de Química
Defense date:
Examining board members:
Cassiana Carolina Montagner; William Reis de Araujo; Andreia Neves Fernandes
Advisor: Altair Benedito Moreira; Cassiana Carolina Montagner
Abstract

Throughout the XX and XXI centuries, population and industrial growth led to the production of various compounds on a large scale, used by millions of people and often ending up in environmental compartments. In this context, we have emerging contaminants, which are substances of anthropogenic or natural origin that are not commonly monitored, despite potentially affecting the biota and human health. Also within this context, microplastics are defined as micrometric polymeric particles ranging from 5 mm to 1 µm. These contaminants are associated with land use and occupation, and it is important to understand their occurrence in relation to human activities around aquatic bodies. In this study, we evaluated the presence of pesticides, degradation products, pharmaceuticals, hormones, personal care substances, industrial origin substances, and microplastics in two watersheds, one predominantly urban and industrial (Atibaia river) and the other predominantly agricultural (Preto/Turvo river). The Atibaia River showed higher concentrations of caffeine, while the Preto/Turvo River exhibited high concentrations of pesticides, in which, through statistical analysis (SIMPER and ANOSIM), only 5 out of 25 emerging contaminants analyzed in this study contributed to 81.73% of the difference between the two watersheds. At all sampling points, a cumulative risk >1 was obtained, indicating a level of environmental concern at these locations. Microplastics were also analyzed in both watersheds, with white/transparent fragments ranging in size from 100 to 250 µm being the most detected in this study. The abundance in the Atibaia River ranged from 349 to 2898 items per m3 , while in the Preto/Turvo River ranged from 169 to 6370 items per m3 . In the polymer characterization, polyethylene (PE) and polypropylene (PP) were the most detected in both watersheds, possibly associated with single-use plastics (AU)

FAPESP's process: 20/14988-1 - Microplastics and contaminants emerging in surface waters: watersheds uses and impacts on the environment
Grantee:Vinicius Sarracini Santos
Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Master