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Evaluation of Heavy Metals in Streams of the Bacanga and Cachorros Watersheds in São Luís, Brazil

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Abstract

Impacts on urban water resources are invariably caused by the development of urban centers and the occupation of the watershed. The release of untreated effluents and urban runoff are sources of metals in adjacent water bodies. It is therefore important to conduct studies on the occurrence of these trace elements in the environment and the risks posed to human health. The aim of the present study was to determine Cd, Pb, Cu, and Zn concentrations in water bodies located in the Bacanga and Cachorros watersheds and correlate the occurrence of these elements with physicochemical variables of the water (temperature, pH, dissolved oxygen, and electrical conductivity). The variables were determined at the collection site with the aid of a multiparameter kit. Heavy metal concentrations were determined using anodic stripping voltammetry. The results revealed that the streams were not contaminated with the metals analyzed. The only exception was copper in the Limoeiro and Murtura streams, both of which are located in the industrial complex.

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Acknowledgements

The authors are grateful to the Brazilian fostering agency Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES [Coordination for the Advancement of Higher Education Personnel]) and the Graduate Program in Health and the Environment of the Federal University of Maranhão for awarding a Master's grant; to the Department of Oceanography and Limnology for technical support during the fieldwork; and to the Research in Analytical Automation Laboratory for the analyses of the metals in the water samples.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Postgraduate Program in Health and Environment, Federal University of Maranhão (UFMA), Madre Deus Square, 2, 2nd floor, Madre Deus, São Luís, MA, Brazil

    Patrícia Fernanda Pereira Cabral & Antonio Carlos Leal de Castro

  2. Postgraduate Program in Development and Environment, Department of Oceanography and Limnology, Federal University of Maranhão (UFMA), Avenue of Portugueses 1966, Bacanga, São Luís, MA, Brazil

    Marcelo Henrique Lopes Silva & Antonio Carlos Leal de Castro

  3. Department of Chemical Technology, Federal University of Maranhão (UFMA), Avenue of Portugueses 1966, Bacanga, São Luís, MA, Brazil

    Iranaldo Santos da Silva

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  1. Patrícia Fernanda Pereira Cabral
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  2. Marcelo Henrique Lopes Silva
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  3. Iranaldo Santos da Silva
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  4. Antonio Carlos Leal de Castro
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Correspondence to Antonio Carlos Leal de Castro.

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Cabral, P.F.P., Silva, M.H.L., da Silva, I.S. et al. Evaluation of Heavy Metals in Streams of the Bacanga and Cachorros Watersheds in São Luís, Brazil. Bull Environ Contam Toxicol 105, 299–306 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00128-020-02932-8

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00128-020-02932-8

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