Does the presence of Caffeine in Brazilian surface waters represent an ecological risk? Vinicius Roveri, Técia Regiane Bérgamo, Luciana Lopes Guimarães, Alberto Teodorico Correia

Abstract

Over the past decade, studies to detect Pharmaceuticals and Personal Care Products (PPCPs) in surface waters and also to measure their potential ecological risks have increased throughout the world. However, in Brazil, these studies are still in the embryonic stage. Given the above, the objective of this study was to estimate the ecological risk of caffeine in Brazilian surface waters, using as reference studies that have already detected this PPCP in the country. The ecological risk assessment for aquatic organisms was performed by calculating the risk quotient (RQ) estimated by the United States Environmental Protection Agency's Ecological Structure Activity Relationships (ECOSAR) program. Of the 10 studies found in Brazil, 9 suggest a potential caffeine risk for some trophic level (algae, invertebrates or fish), which reinforces the urgency of further studies. ecotoxicological (acute and chronic), preferably with native species, to further study these risks.