Occurrence of pharmaceuticals and cocaine in a Brazilian coastal zone

• Published in: The Science of the total environment Vol. 548-549; pp. 148 - 154
• Main Authors: Pereira, Camilo D. Seabra, Maranho, Luciane A., Cortez, Fernando S., Pusceddu, Fabio H., Santos, Aldo R., Ribeiro, Daniel A., Cesar, Augusto, Guimarães, Luciana L.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Netherlands Elsevier B.V 01-04-2016
• Subjects: Brazil; Cocaine; Cocaine - analysis; Environmental Monitoring; Marine environment; Pharmaceuticals; Seawater - chemistry; Sewage - chemistry; Street Drugs - analysis; Submarine sewage outfall; Subtropical zone; Water Pollutants, Chemical - analysis; Brazil; ASW, Brazil, Sao Paulo, Santos Bay; ASW, Brazil, Sao Paulo, Santos; Marine environment; Subtropical zone; Cocaine; Submarine sewage outfall; Pharmaceuticals
• ISSN: 0048-9697; 1879-1026
• DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2016.01.051

The present study determined environmental concentrations of pharmaceuticals, cocaine, and the main human metabolite of cocaine in seawater sampled from a subtropical coastal zone (Santos, Brazil). The Santos Bay is located in a metropolitan region and receives over 7367m3 of wastewater per day. Five sample points under strong influence of the submarine sewage outfall were chosen. Through quantitative analysis by LC–MS/MS, 33 compounds were investigated. Seven pharmaceuticals (atenolol, acetaminophen, caffeine, losartan, valsartan, diclofenac, and ibuprofen), an illicit drug (cocaine), and its main human metabolite (benzoylecgonine) were detected at least once in seawater sampled from Santos Bay at concentrations that ranged from ng·L−1 to μg·L−1. In light of the possibility of bioaccumulation and harmful effects, the high concentrations of pharmaceuticals and cocaine found in this marine subtropical ecosystem are of environmental concern.
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•Pharmaceuticals and cocaine were assessed in a subtropical coastal zone•Acetaminophen, caffeine, diclofenac, ibuprofen, losartan and valsartan were quantified•Ibuprofen showed highest concentration in order of μg·L−1•Cocaine and benzoylecgonine were both quantified in all of the samples