Evaluation of organic endocrine disruptors in water at Brazilian Multipurpose Reactor – RMB instalation area

Abstract

The study of pollutants with organic and inorganic characteristics in groundwater and surface waters of a given region is an important tool in the assessment of pollution. Endocrine interferers are synthetic or natural chemicals that have the ability to act on the endocrine system of humans and animals by mimetizing natural hormones and may produce adverse effects on organisms, even in low concentrations (μg or ng.L-1). Anthropic activities are the major source of input of endocrine disruptors into the environment. The Brazilian government has a project to construct a multipurpose reactor, Brazilian Multipurpose Reactor (RMB), at the Iperó city, to improve the nuclear research Brazilian capacity. The object of this research in to analyze 14 organic compounds that may be present in the groundwater and surface waters of the RMB installation area. This is an unprecedented and extremely important study for the evaluated region; since it will provide guidance on the degree of contamination of the local waters before the construction begins. The study will also make it possible to verify if the construction of the RMB will offer environmental issues to the place. For the determination of the compounds of interest, a developed and validated analytical method was used. This methodology consists of the concentration of the samples by solid phase extraction (SPE) followed by quantification by gas chromatography coupled to the mass spectrometry detector (GC/MS). The water column particulate was also evaluated by ultrasonic extraction, followed by quantification by GC/MS. The results reveal that some of the compounds were found and it was due to anthropic activities in the vicinity of the regions. By initial analysis it was possible verify river that cross the RMB area present values below 0.05 μg L-1.