Avaliação da concentração de metais pesados (Zn, Cd, Pb e Cu) em água de chuva visando sua aplicação como fonte alternativa de água potável na cidade de Juiz de Fora/MG

Abstract

Many people suffer from a chronicle lack of potable water for their personal needs and, in this context, the rainwater arises as a possible alternative source. Upon this, an effective and simple method to determine copper(II), cadmium(II), zinc(II) and lead(II) in 64 rainwater samples from Juiz de Fora/MG/Brazil, using potentiometric stripping analysis (PSA), is proposed. A μ-AUTOLAB potentiostat was used for data acquisition and the electrochemical cell consisted of a working glassy carbon electrode modified with a thin mercury film, an Ag/AgCl(sat) as reference electrode and a platinum as auxiliary electrode. The pH of the medium was evaluated in the range of 0-3 for the simultaneous determination of Cd, Pb and Cu, and in the range of 0-6 for Zn. A 22 Star Design was run to optimize the analytical conditions. For Cd, Pb and Cu determination the studied levels for deposition potential (Ed) were between -1.06 V and -0.64 V, with deposition time (td) between 239 s and 662 s. For Zn determination the studied levels for Ed were between -1.70 V and -1.10 V, with td between 239 s and 662 s. The optimum medium pH conditions found were of pH = 4 for Zn determination and pH = 0 for Cd, Pb and Cu determination. According to the obtained response surfaces it was stipulated for Zn determination a Ed = -1.40 V and a td = 300 s and for Cu, Pb and Cd determination a Ed = -1.00 V and a td = 300 s. Analytical curves were constructed to verify the method linearity. The detection and quantification limits were of 1.26 and 3.83 μg L-1 for Zn, 0.378 and 1.26 μg L-1 for Cd, 0.407 and 1.36 μg L-1 for Pb and 0.960 and 3.20 μg L-1 for Cu, respectively. The method showed recovery values between 86 and 113%. The rainwater samples were also analyzed by graphite furnace atomic absorption spectrometry (GFAAS), as reference method, showing a good correlation between the results. Values between 3.93 and 13.8 μg L-1 of Zn, 3.11 and 7.51 μg L-1 of Cu were found, while no significant concentrations of Pb and Cd were found. According to the stipulated values on Portaria nº 2914, of december 12 of 2011, from Ministério da Saúde, the Juiz de Fora region rainwater can be considered potable, with respect to the evaluated parameters.