Seasonal variations of bisphenol A in the Danube River by the municipality of Novi Sad, Serbia

Abstract

Seasonal variations of bisphenol A (BPA) were investigated in the Danube along the Novi Sad bank, Serbia using solid-phase extraction followed by gas chromatographic mass spectrometric method. The obtained results confirmed the presence of BPA above the limit of quantification (6 ng/L) in 22 out of 32 water samples at all eight sampling sites. Тhe BPA concentration varied from <6 ng/L to 693 ng/L. The mean BPA concentration for summer (220 ng/L) significantly differed from those obtained for autumn (39 ng/L), winter (6 ng/L) and spring (41 ng/L). The risk quotients, expressed as the ratio of the 95th percentile of the measured environmental concentrations for each season and the predicted no-effect concentration were higher than one (> 1) for autumn, spring and summer. The high potential risk which is attributed to the elevated summer concentrations is probably the result of the increased human activates and weather conditions.