Anthropogenic anomalies of rare earth elements (REE) in Atibaia river and some of its tributaries in the region of Paulínia (SP)

• Grant number: 12/02486-5
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Master
• Start date: May 01, 2012
• End date: November 30, 2013
• Field of knowledge: Physical Sciences and Mathematics - Geosciences - Geology
• Principal Investigator: Jacinta Enzweiler
• Grantee: Francisco Ferreira de Campos
• Host Institution: Instituto de Geociências (IG). Universidade Estadual de Campinas (UNICAMP). Campinas , SP, Brazil

Abstract

Natural waters contain trace elements as part of their dissolved constituents. Among them are the lanthanides (Ln) that with scandium and yttrium form the rare earth elements (REE). These elements find a wide range of technological uses and as a result they are being introduced in the environment, at levels never registered before. This research intends to characterize the occurrence of dissolved REE anomalies, especially lanthanum (La), in water of Atibaia River and its tributaries in the municipality of Paulínia (SP) and surroundings. This area has a large industrial park including an oil refinery and other petrochemical plants. The present project was motivated by preliminary results obtained in previous work, were anomalies of La (and Gd) were measured in river water samples. To accomplish the proposed research surface water samples shall be carefully sampled and analyzed. The major constituents will be determined by ion chromatography, while alkalinity will be measured by acidimetric titration. Trace elements and REE will be determined by ICP-MS. With the results of this work we intend to know the distribution of dissolved REE in surface waters in the region of Paulínia, characterize the presence of anomalous concentrations and identify its sources, as well as to improve the methodological approach. A six months period of studies and work in research group abroad with large expertise in the subject is planned as means of advancing in knowledge in a faster and consistent way. (AU)

Scientific publications

(References retrieved automatically from Web of Science and SciELO through information on FAPESP grants and their corresponding numbers as mentioned in the publications by the authors)

DE CAMPOS, FRANCISCO FERREIRA; ENZWEILER, JACINTA. Anthropogenic gadolinium anomalies and rare earth elements in the water of Atibaia River and Anhumas Creek, Southeast Brazil. ENVIRONMENTAL MONITORING AND ASSESSMENT, v. 188, n. 5, MAY 2016. (12/02486-5, 12/05024-2)

Academic Publications

(References retrieved automatically from State of São Paulo Research Institutions)

CAMPOS, Francisco Ferreira de. Anthropogenic gadolinium anomalies and distribution of rare earth elements in Atibaia river and Anhumas creek waters (São Paulo, Brazil). 2014. Master's Dissertation - Universidade Estadual de Campinas (UNICAMP). Instituto de Geociências Campinas, SP.