Drugs of abuse in surface and tap waters of the Tagus River basin: heterogeneous photo-Fenton process is effective in their degradation.
This work investigates for the first time the occurrence of drugs of abuse and metabolites in surface waters from the Tagus River on its way through the province of Toledo (downstream Madrid metropolitan area) and in drinking waters in two nearby cities. Some of the studied drugs are used for therapeutic purposes but they can also be consumed as illicit drugs. The results of this preliminary study have revealed the presence of 12 out of 22 drugs of abuse analyzed in fluvial water at concentrations ranging from 1.14 to 40.9 ng/L. The largest concentrations corresponded to the anxiolytics diazepam and lorazepam, the cocaine metabolite benzoilecgonine, the amphetamine-like compound ephedrine, and the methadone metabolite EDDP. All these substances, except for lorazepam, were detected in all the sampling points. Traces of methadone and ephedrine were detected in some samples of tap water. Despite the low concentrations of these pollutants, effects on wildlife or human health cannot be disregarded, especially on vulnerable population. Thus, the treatment of these substances using a heterogeneous photo-Fenton process has been evaluated, rendering a remarkable effectiveness for their degradation.
Department of Preventive Medicine, Public Health, Immunology and Medical Microbiology. Faculty of Health Sciences, Rey Juan Carlos University. Avda. Atenas s/n. E-28922 Alcorcón (Madrid), Spain. yolanda.valcarcel@urjc.es
Y
Y
Valcárcel
F
F
Martínez
S
S
González-Alonso
Y
Y
Segura
M
M
Catalá
R
R
Molina
J C
JC
Montero-Rubio
N
N
Mastroianni
M
M
López de Alda
C
C
Postigo
D
D
Barceló
D002947:Cities / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D060766:Drinking Water / Q000737:chemistry; D004784:Environmental Monitoring; D062665:Epidemiological Monitoring; D006801:Humans; D006861:Hydrogen Peroxide; D013287:Illicit Drugs / Q000032:analysis*; D007501:Iron; D055668:Photochemical Processes; D045483:Rivers / Q000737:chemistry; D013030:Spain / Q000453:epidemiology; D014865:Waste Disposal, Fluid / Q000379:methods*; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical / Q000032:analysis*; D014877:Water Pollution, Chemical / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D018508:Water Purification / Q000379:methods*; D014881:Water Supply / Q000706:statistics & numerical data
D060766:Drinking Water; C045076:Fenton's reagent; D013287:Illicit Drugs; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical; D006861:Hydrogen Peroxide; D007501:Iron