Evaluation of the occurrence of estrogenic endocrine disrupters in the Paraíba do Sul River: monitoring of the estrogenic activity and identification of the steroid estrogens

• Grant number: 11/08043-5
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Post-Doctoral
• Start date: January 01, 2012
• End date: October 31, 2013
• Field of knowledge: Engineering - Sanitary Engineering - Water Resources
• Principal Investigator: Teresa Cristina Brazil de Paiva
• Grantee: Claudinei Fernandes de Melo
• Host Institution: Escola de Engenharia de Lorena (EEL). Universidade de São Paulo (USP). Lorena , SP, Brazil
• Associated scholarship(s): 13/06093-0 - Bioassay-directed identification of anti-androgenic and estrogenic compounds in wastewaters and environmental samples, BE.EP.PD

Abstract

The Vale do Paraíba is a region of high population density and an important industrial center in Brazil. It is reported in the scientific literature that effluents from municipal wastewaters treatment plants have high concentrations of steroid estrogens, present in human urine and feces. However, there is no report about the occurrence of estrogenic endocrine disrupters in the Paraiba do Sul River. Considering that the exposition of aquatic species to the steroid estrogens has serious potential to the reproductive and hormonal system of these species, the aim of this project is (i) to evaluate the occurrence of biological (estrogenic) activity in the water from several collection points in the Paraiba do Sul river and (ii) to identify the steroid estrogens related to the estrogenic activity by HPLC-mass spectrometry. (AU)