Fate of pharmaceutical and trace organic compounds in three septic system plumes, Ontario, Canada.
Three high volume septic systems in Ontario, Canada, were examined to assess the potential for onsite wastewatertreatment systems to release pharmaceutical compounds to the environment and to evaluate the mobility of these compounds in receiving aquifers. Wastewater samples were collected from the septic tanks, and groundwater samples were collected below and down gradient of the infiltration beds and analyzed for a suite of commonly used pharmaceutical and trace organic compounds. The septic tank samples contained elevated concentrations of several pharmaceutical compounds. Ten of the 12 compounds analyzed were detected in groundwater at one or more sites at concentrations in the low ng L(-1) to low microg L(-1) range. Large differences among the sites were observed in both the number of detections and the concentrations of the pharmaceutical compounds. Of the compounds analyzed, ibuprofen, gemfibrozil, and naproxen were observed to be transported atthe highest concentrations and greatest distances from the infiltration source areas, particularly in anoxic zones of the plumes.
Carrara
Cherilyn
C
Department of Earth Sciences, University of Waterloo, 200 University Ave W, Waterloo, ON, N2L 3G1.
Ptacek
Carol J
CJ
Robertson
William D
WD
Blowes
David W
DW
Moncur
Michael C
MC
Sverko
Ed
E
Backus
Sean
S
D004784:Environmental Monitoring; D006863:Hydrogen-Ion Concentration; D009864:Ontario; D010084:Oxidation-Reduction; D004364:Pharmaceutical Preparations / Q000032:analysis*; D014260:Triclosan / Q000032:analysis; D014865:Waste Disposal, Fluid / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods*; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical / Q000032:analysis*
D004364:Pharmaceutical Preparations; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical; D014260:Triclosan