title: Evaluation of human pharmaceutical emissions and concentrations in Swedish river basins.
abstract: An emissions inventory for top consumed human pharmaceuticals in Sweden was done based on national consumption data, human metabolic rates and wastewater treatment removal rates. Concentrations of pharmaceuticals in surface waters in Swedish river basins were predicted using estimated emissions from the inventory and river discharges. Our findings indicate that the top ten emitted pharmaceuticals in our study set of 54 substances are all emitted in amounts above 0.5ton/y to both surface waters and soils. The highest emissions to water were in decreasing order for Metformin, Furosemide, Gabapentin, Atenolol and Tramadol. Predicted emissions to soils calculated with the knowledge that in Sweden sludge is mostly disposed to soil, point to the highest emissions among the studied drugs coming from, in decreasing order, Metformin, Paracetamol, Ibuprofen, Gabapentin and Atenolol. Surface water concentrations in Sweden's largest rivers, all located in low density population zones, were found to be below 10ng/L for all substances studied. In contrast, concentrations in surface waters in Stockholm's metropolitan area, the most populous in Sweden, surpassed 100ng/L for four substances: Atenolol, Metformin, Furosemide and Gabapentin.
authors.affiliation: ACES - Department of Environmental Science and Analytical Chemistry, Stockholm University, SE-10691 Stockholm, Sweden. Electronic address: claudia.lindim@aces.su.se.
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Lindim
authors.affiliation: Deltares, PO Box 177, 2600 MH Delft, The Netherlands. Electronic address: Jos.vanGils@deltares.nl.
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: van Gils
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Mathematical Chemistry, University "Prof. As. Zlatarov", 8010 Bourgas, Bulgaria. Electronic address: denitsa_georgieva@btu.bg.
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Georgieva
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Mathematical Chemistry, University "Prof. As. Zlatarov", 8010 Bourgas, Bulgaria. Electronic address: omekenya@btu.bg.
authors.forename: O
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Mekenyan
authors.affiliation: ACES - Department of Environmental Science and Analytical Chemistry, Stockholm University, SE-10691 Stockholm, Sweden. Electronic address: ian.cousins@aces.su.se.
authors.forename: I T
authors.initials: IT
authors.lastname: Cousins
mesh_terms: D004784:Environmental Monitoring; D006801:Humans; D004364:Pharmaceutical Preparations / Q000032:analysis*; D045483:Rivers / Q000737:chemistry*; D013548:Sweden; D062065:Wastewater / Q000032:analysis*; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical / Q000032:analysis*
chemical_list: D004364:Pharmaceutical Preparations; D062065:Wastewater; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical
keywords: Emissions; PEC; Pharmaceuticals; Swedish basins; Wastewater