title: Estimated Levels of Environmental Contamination and Health Risk Assessment for Herbicides and Insecticides in Surface Water of Ceará, Brazil.
abstract: Methodology using solid phase extraction and high performance liquid chromatography (SPE-C18/HPLC-DAD) was applied to pesticide determinations in ten water reservoirs in the semidarid region of northeastern Brazil. The validated method was suitable for determination of herbicides and insecticide in surface water. The recovery efficiency of atrazine, methyl-parathion and simazine was approximately 70%. The method also showed good linearity and selectivity with correlation coefficients (R) greater than 0.99. The limits of detection were below the maximum residue limits (MRLs) established by government agencies. Studied reservoirs showed presence of atrazine at mean levels from 7.0 to 15.0 µg/L. Simazine and methyl parathion were not detected during the period. The atrazine levels measured from this semiarid region are of the same magnitude as those found in regions with moderate to high agricultural activity. According to detected atrazine concentrations, the annual health risk to humans was insignificant. However, the control of herbicides is important to maintain the quality of water in the reservoirs of Ceará, Brazil.
authors.affiliation: Department of Analytical Chemistry and Physical Chemistry, Federal University of Ceará, R. Humberto Monte S/N, Pici, Fortaleza, Ceará, CEP 60451-970, Brazil.
authors.forename: Anayla S
authors.initials: AS
authors.lastname: Sousa
authors.affiliation: Marine Sciences Institute, Federal University of Ceará, Av. Abolição, 3207-Meireles, Fortaleza, Ceará, CEP 60165-081, Brazil.
authors.forename: Wersângela C
authors.initials: WC
authors.lastname: Duaví
authors.affiliation: Marine Sciences Institute, Federal University of Ceará, Av. Abolição, 3207-Meireles, Fortaleza, Ceará, CEP 60165-081, Brazil.
authors.forename: Rivelino M
authors.initials: RM
authors.lastname: Cavalcante
authors.affiliation: Federal Institute of Education Science and Technology of Ceará, Rodovia Iguatu/Várzea Alegre, Km 05 - Vila Cajazeiras, Iguatu, CE, CEP 63500-00, Brazil.
authors.forename: Maria Aparecida L
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Milhome
authors.affiliation: Department of Analytical Chemistry and Physical Chemistry, Federal University of Ceará, R. Humberto Monte S/N, Pici, Fortaleza, Ceará, CEP 60451-970, Brazil. ronaldo@ufc.br.
authors.forename: Ronaldo F
authors.initials: RF
authors.lastname: do Nascimento
mesh_terms: D000383:Agriculture; D001280:Atrazine / Q000032:analysis; D001938:Brazil; D002851:Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid; D004787:Environmental Pollution / Q000032:analysis; D006540:Herbicides / Q000032:analysis*; D006801:Humans; D007306:Insecticides / Q000032:analysis*; D010575:Pesticides / Q000032:analysis; D018570:Risk Assessment; D012839:Simazine / Q000032:analysis; D052616:Solid Phase Extraction / Q000379:methods; D014867:Water / Q000032:analysis / Q000737:chemistry; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical / Q000032:analysis*; D014881:Water Supply / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*
chemical_list: D006540:Herbicides; D007306:Insecticides; D010575:Pesticides; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical; D014867:Water; D001280:Atrazine; D012839:Simazine
keywords: Contamination; Health risk; Pesticides; Solid phase extraction; Water resources