Investigation of Bisphenol A and Nonylphenol pollution in estuaries of rivers in south-west coast of Caspian sea

Today environmental pollutions especially pollution of water ecosystems have caused serious problems for human communities as well as other living organisms. In regards with increasing growth of population using chemicals has increased in different industrial, agricultural and residential sectors. Endocrine disrupting chemicals or strogenic- like compounds are the great importance due to their negative consequences on human beings and animals (fish and amphibious). The aim of this study was determining the concentration of Nonylphenol and Bisphenol A in water samples of estuaries of 9 rivers in south-west coast of Caspian Sea and examining the correlation of these compounds with chemical oxygen demand (COD), biological oxygen demand (BOD) and pH. In this study, different parameters based on standard methods for water and wastewater was measured. To extract Nonylphenol and bisphenol A of water samples was used of liquid-liquid separation method. And Nonylphenol and bisphenol A concentration was measured with high performance liquid chromatography.
Findings: Results showed that estuary of Astara River has the biggest concentration of studied parameters compared to other stations which can be due to the passage of river through the city center and penetration of municipal and residential waste water to the river. Result of correlation test indicated that there is a positive and significant correlation between BOD and COD concentrations، and Bisphenol A and Nonylphenol in studied samples. There is also a negative (inverse) and significant correlation between the pH and Bisphenol A and Nonylphenol concentrations.
Discussion and Since the presence of these chemicals even in low concentrations can have adverse effects in health of ecosystems. There are concerns regarding the presence of these strogenic-like chemicals in water resources in the country.