ENVIRONMENTAL DYNAMICS OF BISPHENOL S AND PERGAFAST 201 IN TROPICAL SOILS: OCCURRENCE, TRANSPORT VIA LEACHING, SORPTION-DESORPTION AND EFFECTS ON CULTIVATED PLANTS

• Grant number: 24/20514-3
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Doctorate
• Start date: April 01, 2025
• End date: January 31, 2027
• Field of knowledge: Interdisciplinary Subjects
• Principal Investigator: Valdemar Luiz Tornisielo
• Grantee: Nicoli Gomes de Moraes
• Host Institution: Centro de Energia Nuclear na Agricultura (CENA). Universidade de São Paulo (USP). Piracicaba , SP, Brazil

Abstract

Bisphenol A (BPA) is a known endocrine disruptor, widely used in the production of plastics, epoxy resins, and thermal papers, and it is one of the most studied emerging contaminants. Due to restrictions on its use in several countries, alternatives such as bisphenol S (BPS) and Pergafast 201 (PF 201) have been developed; however, their environmental effects and behavior in different matrices are still poorly understood. In light of this, this study will evaluate the dynamics and occurrence of BPS and PF 201 in tropical soils, as well as determine their biochemical and molecular effects on plants of agronomic interest. In the first stage, the sorption-desorption behavior and mobility of BPS and PF 201 will be analyzed in leaching columns, using three tropical soils with different characteristics. Next, the occurrence of these contaminants in vegetable farming areas will be determined using liquid chromatography coupled with tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS). Finally, the effects of environmentally relevant concentrations of BPS and PF 201 on the development of tomato plants (Solanum lycopersicum L.) will be evaluated, including the production of total pigments, the generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS), and the expression of genes associated with oxidative stress, using quantitative RT-PCR. The results of this study could contribute to a better understanding of the behavior, occurrence, and environmental impacts of BPS and PF 201, as well as support regulatory decisions and assist in the environmental management of emerging contaminants in Brazil.