Marine sediment contamination in a subtropical zone (Santos Bay, Brazil)

Abstract

Although the continuous input of domestic sewage in coastal areas has been reported, few data are available about the presence of pharmaceuticals and personal care products (PPCPs) in coastal environments of South America. The aim of this study was to determine the environmental concentration of PPCPs and cocaine in sediments from Santos Bay (Brazil), a degraded coastal area due to urban and industrial pollution. A sediment sample, collected at five points around the Submarine Sewage Outfall of Santos, was analyzed by liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LCMS/ MS) and 35 compounds were investigated. The presence of five pharmaceuticals (caffeine, carbamazepine, diclofenac, fluoxetine and ibuprofen), one personal care product (triclosan), and one illicit drug (cocaine) was evidenced. Considering the absence of information about the occurrence of PPCPs and illicit drugs in marine sediments of tropical and subtropical areas of South America, the data reported here subsidize the \nassessment of environmental risks of such substances in coastal zones.