Determination of PAHs in Surface Waters from the Doce and Piracicaba Rivers in Brazil

Abstract

Sixteen polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons were determined in water samples from the Piracicaba River and the Doce River in the municipality of Ipatinga, Minas Gerais State, Brazil. The polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons were extracted by solid-phase extraction and were analyzed by high-performance liquid chromatographic with diode-array detector. The limit of detection was as low as 1.3 ng∙L−1. All polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons were found above the limit of quantification in water from at least four of the eight sampling points. Benzo[a]pyrene and chrysene were found at concentrations up to 80% above the limit set by Brazilian and European environmental legislation (0.05 µg∙L−1). The isomer ratios of the compounds indicated that crude oil and combustion processes were the main sources of the polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons.