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Published on: December 20, 2016
Seasonal variation of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons concentrations in urban streams at Niterói City, RJ, Brazil
Angelo Morgado Ribeiro1, Camila Coimbra Martins da Rocha, Caroline Fernandes Jaegger Franco
1Laboratório de Química Analítica Fundamental e Aplicada, Departamento de Química Analítica, Instituto de Química, Universidade Federal Fluminense, Outeiro de São João Batista, s/n, 24020-141 Niterói, RJ, Brazil.
Abstract:
Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) were determined in water samples collected in two streams and a lake located at Niteroi City, Rio de Janeiro State, Brazil between October 2008 and September 2009. Samples were extracted using liquid-liquid extraction and analyzed using high performance liquid chromatography with fluorescence detection. The limits of quantification were sufficiently low to accomplish PAH determination below the maximum concentration levels established by the Brazilian (50 ng/L) and USEPA legislations, with recoveries larger than 81.6%. Phenanthrene, fluoranthene, pyrene and benz[a]anthracene predominated among PAHs. Total concentrations of PAHs were well correlated with rainfall indicating a possible role of runoff to local pollution of water by PAHs and showed a seasonal variation in wet and dry seasons. Our results highlight the contribution of the widespread streams located around Guanabara Bay to the PAH burden found in its waters.
