Bacia hidrográfica do Alto Iguaçu: caracterização física e química e determinação de diclofenaco, ibuprofeno e paracetamol

Abstract

A major concern today is related to water quality of water bodies. The Upper Iguaçu Watershed, one of the most significant watersheds in Paraná’s state, according to State Department of Environment, has been appointed as an environment that is undergoing remarkable changes in their physical, biological and chemical characteristics. This occurs, mainly, by the incidence of domestic and industrial wastewater, affecting the entire surrounding environment and the population dependent on this water. This study aimed at the physical and chemical characterization, the dissolved organic matter and the determination of environmental pollutants such as pharmaceuticals, in the waters of the Upper Iguaçu. The environments that were monitored in the Metropolitan Region of Curitiba are the rivers Belém, Barigui, Iguaçu, Iraí and Atuba. These rivers are suffering significant influence of Metropolitan Region of Curitiba’s urbanization and they are in a critical situation, considering the quality of their waters. Four sampling were taken in these rivers, where them were possible to observe the influence by untreated sewage with high nutrient values (N-ammoniacal and orthophosphate) and organic matter, with evidence of anthropogenic sources. For detection and quantification of pharmaceuticals were adjusted a method of simultaneous extraction of ibuprofen, paracetamol and diclofenac, as much in dissolved form in water as sediment matrix. These pharmaceuticals were frequently detected in all samples taken, especially dissolved were found maximum concentration of 729 ng.L-1 and 369 ng.L-1 of ibuprofen and paracetamol, respectively, both on Belém river and in first sampling. Already the diclofenac was found of 317 ng.L-1 in the third sampling of the Iguaçu river’s sites. In the sediments, most were below detection limits, what is in accordance, because the compounds evaluated have hydrophilic properties. In general, the problems found in the Iguaçu river, one of the major rivers of the state of Parana, are the result of contamination found in the rivers Atuba, Iraí and Belém, due to high pollution load in these rivers.