AVALIAÇÃO DA TOXICIDADE DE CONTAMINANTES PROVENIENTES DE RESÍDUO CONTIDO EM EMBALAGENS COLETADAS EM PRAIAS DO LITORAL NORTE DE SANTA CATARINA EVALUATION OF THE TOXICITY OF CONTAMINANTS FROM WASTE CONTAINED IN PACKAGING COLLECTED ON BEACHES ON THE NORTH COAST OF SANTA CATARINA

Abstract

ABSTRACT

The waste generated by human activities must be properly managed and disposed of due to the associated risks. Among this waste, plastic drum (bombonas plastic) containers stand out as one of the most commonly stranded items found on beaches, negatively impacting the environment. This study aimed to analyze the presence and concentration of contaminants, as well as the degree of toxicity of residues found inside plastic drums collected from coastal areas of Santa Catarina, specifically on the beaches of Barra Velha and Penha. Ten residue samples from different drums were analyzed using Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometry (ICP-MS) to determine their elemental composition, and fluorimetry was used to detect PAHs in leachates from five additional drums. Acute toxicity tests with the water-soluble fraction (WSF) were carried out using a crustacean species, in addition to a chronic toxicity test with sea urchins, using the same water-soluble fraction. The results showed that in all 10 samples analyzed, sodium (Na) and barium (Ba) were present, followed by chromium (Cr), manganese (Mn), and iron (Fe) in 90% of the samples. Regarding PAHs, 80% of the samples presented levels above those known to cause toxicity in aquatic organisms relevant to the food web (0.05 µg/L). These results indicate an imminent risk to aquatic communities and, consequently, to human beings, highlighting the urgent need for proper waste management measures to reduce the presence of these containers on beaches.

Keywords: Plastic bombonas; waste; metals; PAH.