title: Concentration evolution of pharmaceutically active compounds in raw urban and industrial wastewater.
abstract: The distribution of pharmaceutically active compounds in the environment has been reported in several works in which wastewater treatment plants have been identified as the main source of these compounds to the environment. The concentrations of these compounds in influent wastewater can vary widely not only during the day but also along the year, because of the seasonal-consumption patterns of some pharmaceuticals. However, only few studies have attempted to assess the hourly variability of the concentrations of pharmaceutically active compounds in wastewater. In this work, the distribution and seasonal and hourly variability of twenty-one pharmaceuticals, belonging to seven therapeutic groups, have been investigated in urban and industrial wastewater. The highest concentrations of pharmaceutically active compounds, except salicylic acid, were found in urban wastewater, especially in the case of anti-inflammatory drugs and caffeine. The highest concentrations of salicylic acid were measured in industrial wastewater, reaching concentration levels up to 3295μgL(-)(1). The studied pharmaceutically active compounds showed different distribution patterns during winter and summer periods. Temporal variability of pharmaceutically active compounds during a 24-h period showed a distribution in concordance with their consumption and excretion patterns, in the case of urban wastewater, and with the schedule of industrial activities, in the case of industrial wastewater.
authors.affiliation: Department of Analytical Chemistry, Escuela Politécnica Superior, University of Seville, C/Virgen de África 7, E-41011 Seville, Spain.
authors.forename: Dolores
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Camacho-Muñoz
authors.affiliation: Department of Analytical Chemistry, Escuela Politécnica Superior, University of Seville, C/Virgen de África 7, E-41011 Seville, Spain.
authors.forename: Julia
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Martín
authors.affiliation: Department of Analytical Chemistry, Escuela Politécnica Superior, University of Seville, C/Virgen de África 7, E-41011 Seville, Spain.
authors.forename: Juan Luis
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Santos
authors.affiliation: Department of Analytical Chemistry, Escuela Politécnica Superior, University of Seville, C/Virgen de África 7, E-41011 Seville, Spain.
authors.forename: Irene
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Aparicio
authors.affiliation: Department of Analytical Chemistry, Escuela Politécnica Superior, University of Seville, C/Virgen de África 7, E-41011 Seville, Spain. Electronic address: ealonso@us.es.
authors.forename: Esteban
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Alonso
mesh_terms: D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents / Q000032:analysis; D002110:Caffeine / Q000032:analysis; D002851:Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid; D004784:Environmental Monitoring; D013058:Mass Spectrometry; D004364:Pharmaceutical Preparations / Q000032:analysis*; D020156:Salicylic Acid / Q000032:analysis; D012621:Seasons; D013997:Time Factors; D062065:Wastewater / Q000737:chemistry*; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical / Q000032:analysis*
chemical_list: D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents; D002110:Caffeine; D004364:Pharmaceutical Preparations; D020156:Salicylic Acid; D062065:Wastewater; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical
keywords: Industrial wastewater; Pharmaceutically active compounds; Temporal evolution; Urban wastewater