title: Spatially explicit prioritization of human antibiotics and antineoplastics in Europe.
abstract: This paper presents a screening tool for the location-specific prioritization of human pharmaceutical emissions in Europe, based on risk quotients for the aquatic environment and human health. The tool provides direction towards either monitoring activities or additional research. Its application is illustrated for a set of 11 human antibiotics and 7 antineoplastics. Risk quotients for the aquatic environment were highest for levofloxacin, doxycycline and ciprofloxacin, located in Northern Italy (Milan region; particularly levofloxacin) and other densely populated areas in Europe (e.g. London, Krakow and the Ruhr area). Risk quotients for human health not only depend on pharmaceutical and location, but also on behavioral characteristics, such as consumption patterns. Infants in eastern Spain that consume locally produced food and conventionally treated drinking water were predicted to run the highest risks. A limited comparison with measured concentrations in surface water showed that predicted and measured concentrations are approximately within one order of magnitude.
authors.affiliation: Department of Environmental Science, Institute for Wetland and Water Research, Radboud University Nijmegen, P.O. Box 9010, 6500 GL Nijmegen, The Netherlands. R.Oldenkamp@science.ru.nl
authors.forename: Rik
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Oldenkamp
authors.forename: Mark A J
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Huijbregts
authors.forename: Anne
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Hollander
authors.forename: Ann
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Versporten
authors.forename: Herman
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Goossens
authors.forename: Ad M J
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Ragas
mesh_terms: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000032:analysis*; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000032:analysis*; D004784:Environmental Monitoring / Q000379:methods*; D004785:Environmental Pollutants / Q000032:analysis*; D004787:Environmental Pollution / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D005060:Europe; D006801:Humans; D018570:Risk Assessment; D062206:Spatial Analysis
chemical_list: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D004785:Environmental Pollutants