Emerging contaminants have been considered one of the main concerns for ensuring the quality of water around the world. This work presents the results of 10 years of analyses carried out in the state of São Paulo (Brazil) that has the high population density and intense agricultural and industrial activities. In this work 58 compounds (9 hormones, 14 pharmaceuticals and personal care products, 8 industrial compounds, 17 pesticides and 10 illicit drugs) were determined from 2006 to 2015 in 708 samples including raw and treated sewage, surface and ground and drinking waters. A preliminary risk assessment for aquatic life protection identified potential risks for caffeine, paracetamol, diclofenac, 17α-ethynylestradiol, 17β-estradiol, estriol, estrone, testosterone, triclosan, 4-n-nonylphenol, bisphenol A, atrazine, azoxystrobin, carbendazim, fipronil, imidacloprid, malathion and tebuconazole. Drinking water criteria were available only for 22 compounds and for them no adverse effects were expected at the concentrations found, except for 17β-estradiol.

The market for hair dye involves a growing range of products, which requires greater understanding of hair properties, mechanisms of action and color development. In this work, we present a critical analysis of the classification, physical and chemical characteristics, chemical analysis and toxicological/mutagenic potential of dyes used in the hair dyeing process. A compilation of some studies was carried out, focusing on the available knowledge about these dyes and their effects on the environment and human health.

Efluentes de indústrias farmacêuticas veterinárias, que formulam medicamentos, são gerados principalmente durante a lavagem dos equipamentos. O objetivo desse trabalho foi avaliar a toxicidade aguda para Daphnia similis e crônica para Ceriodaphnia dubia, dos efluentes brutos e tratados gerados por uma indústria farmacêutica veterinária. O sistema de tratamento de efluentes usado é composto por uma etapa de tratamento químico (coagulação-sedimentação forçada) seguida do tratamento biológico aeróbio (processo de lodos ativados). Foram realizadas 5 campanhas de amostragens entre outubro de 2011 e julho de 2012. As amostras de efluentes brutos apresentaram elevada toxicidade aguda e crônica (aguda: quarta campanha com CE50 - 48-h de <0,001% e crônica: terceira campanha com CI50 - 7d <0,0001%). As amostras de efluentes tratados quimicamente foram as mais tóxicas com CE50 - 48-h entre <0,001 e 0,1% e CI50 - 7-d entre 0,00001 e 0,0001%, provavelmente relacionada ao uso de sulfato de alumínio como agente floculante. O tratamento biológico levou a uma pequena diminuição da toxicidade dos efluentes. Os testes ecotoxicológicos foram adequados para detectar a toxicidade dos efluentes e úteis para avaliar a eficiência das etapas do tratamento. Melhorias no sistema de tratamento de efluentes da indústria estudada deveriam ser implementadas visando à redução da toxicidade observada nos efluentes finais.

Effluents from veterinary pharmaceutical industries that formulate medicines are mainly generated during the washing of equipment. The aim of this work was to evaluate the acute toxicity to Daphnia similis and chronic toxicity to Ceriodaphnia dubia of raw and treated effluents generated by a veterinary pharmaceutical industry. The industrial effluent treatment system comprises a step of chemical treatment (coagulation-sedimentation forced) followed by aerobic biological treatment (activated sludge process). Five samplings campaigns were performed from October 2011 to July 2012. The raw effluent samples showed high acute and chronic toxicity (acute: fourth sampling with EC50 - 48-h of <0.001% and chronic: third sampling with IC50 - 7-d of <0.0001%). The chemically treated effluent samples were the most toxic with EC50 - 48-h between <0.001 and 0.1% and IC50 - 7-d between 0.00001 and 0.0001%. This increase in toxicity is probably related to the use of aluminum sulfate as flocculating agent. The biological treatment led to a small reduction in toxicity of the effluents. The selected ecotoxicological tests were adequate for detecting the effluent toxicity and useful for evaluating the efficiency of the steps of the effluent treatment. Improvements in the industrial wastewater treatment system should be implemented in order to reduce the observed toxicity of the final effluent.