Evaluation of the presence of salicylic acid in water

Abstract

Pharmaceutical contaminants in surface waters have raised significant concerns due to their potential ecological risks and in surface waters they are perceived as contaminants of emerging concern due to their impacts on the aquatic environment and human health. A common emerging pollutant is salicylic acid (SA), the active metabolite of acetylsalicylic acid. The present study aimed to evaluate the presence of salicylic acid residues in surface waters of Rio dos Queimados - Concórdia/SC. Samples were collected at six different points on the Rio dos Queimados. The determination of salicylic acid concentration was performed by the spectrophotometric method based on the formation of the complex between salicylic acid and Fe(III) ions and the pH value was performed using a bench pH meter. The results show that the surface waters of the Rio dos Queimados have their pH within the norms and without the presence of AS residue.