Occurrence of nonylphenol and bisphenol-A in surface waters from Portugal

The occurrence of the endocrine disruptor compounds, such as 4-nonylphenol isomers and bisphenol A was determined in surface water samples from Portugal. The analytical method used involved the preconcentration of 200 mL of water sample by solid phase extraction (SPE) using a OASIS (Waters) cartridge, followed by Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry (GC/MS) determination. Recoveries and limits of detection of 4-nonylphenol isomers and bisphenol-A were 73 % and 119 %, respectively, 0.01 mug L-1 and 0.002 mug L-1. The method was applied to the determination of these estrogenic pollutants in river and coastal waters during three months (August-October/1999). The total samples analyzed were 135. Concentrations of 4-nonylphenol isomers and bisphenol-A ranged from 0.03-30 mug L-1 and 0.07-4.0 mug L-1, respectively. Only in two river samples, concentrations of 4-nonylphenol isomers were above 10 mug L-1 and bisphenol-A were above 2 mug L-1. These values can cause estrogenic effects in fish and these sampling points require further investigation in order to verify the maintenance of these levels.