Contaminants of Emerging Concern and microplastics in water and sediments from Monjolinho River-São Carlos/SP: monitoring and environmental education

• Grant number: 24/02178-6
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Scientific Initiation
• Start date: May 01, 2024
• End date: June 30, 2025
• Field of knowledge: Physical Sciences and Mathematics - Chemistry - Analytical Chemistry
• Principal Investigator: Dayana Moscardi dos Santos
• Grantee: Isabela Pereira dos Santos
• Host Institution: Centro de Ciências Exatas e de Tecnologia (CCET). Universidade Federal de São Carlos (UFSCAR). São Carlos , SP, Brazil

Abstract

Aquatic ecosystems chronically receive a diversity of pollutants known as emerging contaminants, which are part of our daily lives, including synthetic hormones, pharmaceuticals, personal care products, as well as solid waste like microplastics. These pollutants enter the system either directly or through effluents from sewage treatment plants, where they are not completely removed. Once in the aquatic environment, they can cause lethal and sublethal effects on a variety of organisms, compromising the ecosystem's functioning. This project aims to determine emerging contaminants and microplastics in water and sediment samples from the Monjolinho River in São Carlos, SP. Additionally, it seeks to characterize the associated risk of these contaminants. The project also emphasizes environmental education and scientific outreach related to the impact of these compounds on aquatic ecosystems, incorporating both scientific and interactive approaches based on the phase of implementation and the target audience. This project is associated with the ongoing Regular Research Grant Project 2023/10312-1.