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

Seasonal variations of bisphenol A (BPA, IUPAC: 4,4'-(propane-2,2-diyl) diphenol) were investigated in the Danube River along the Novi Sad bank, Serbia using solid-phase extraction followed by the gas chromatographic mass spectrometric method. The obtained results confirmed the presence of BPA above the limit of quantification (6 ng L-1) in 22 out of 32 the water samples at all eight sampling sites. The BPA concentration varied from < 6 to 693 ng L-1. The mean BPA concentration for summer (220 ng L-1) significantly differed from those obtained for autumn (39 ng L-1), winter (6 ng L-1) and spring (41 ng L-1). 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 that is attributed to the elevated summer concentrations is probably the result of increased human activities and weather conditions.