DEVELOPMENT AND VALIDATION OF METHOD FOR DETERMINATION OF BISPHENOL A AND ETHINYLESTRADIOL IN WATER HYACINTH AND DWARF PAPYRUS FROM CONSTRUCTED WETLANDS

Bisphenol A and ethinylestradiol, both considered as endocrine disruptors, have been found in surface water and effluents from municipal wastewater supply and can cause adverse health effects on wildlife species and in human beings at extremely low level. In order to remove these compounds from wastewater, constructed wetlands has been used since it proved to be more efficient, and has less cost than conventional treatments. One of the mechanisms of removal of endocrine disruptors by constructed wetlands is the uptake by macrophytes, so it is necessary to analyze these compounds in the plants of the system. Thus, the objective of this study was to develop and validate two methods by high performance liquid chromatography with fluorescence detector capable of determining these compounds in dwarf papyrus and water hyacinth. The evaluated parameters in the validation were: linearity (R2 ≥ 0.99), limit of detection (LOD = 0.045-0.15 µg g-1), limit of quantification (LOQ = 0.15-1.50 µg g-1), accuracy (recoveries from 83.5 to 119.4%) and precision (intra-day CV ≤ 6.2% and inter-day CV ≤ 5.8%). Samples from a constructed wetland were analyzed and the developed methods showed be suitable for intended purpose.