Widespread, routine occurrence of pharmaceuticals in sewage effluent, combined sewer overflows and receiving waters.
Research addressing the occurrence, fate and effects of pharmaceuticals in the aquatic environment has expanded rapidly over the past two decades, primarily due to the development of improved chemical analysis methods. Significant research gaps still remain, however, including a lack of longer term, repeated monitoring of rivers, determination of temporal and spatial changes in pharmaceutical concentrations, and inputs from sources other than wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs), such as combined sewer overflows (CSOs). In addressing these gaps it was found that the five pharmaceuticals studied were routinely (51-94% of the time) present in effluents and receiving waters at concentrations ranging from single ng to μg L-1. Mean concentrations were in the tens to hundreds ng L-1range and CSOs appear to be a significant source of pharmaceuticals to water courses in addition to WWTPs. Receiving water concentrations varied throughout the day although there were no pronounced peaks at particular times. Similarly, concentrations varied throughout the year although no consistent patterns were observed. No dissipation of the study compounds was found over a 5 km length of river despite no other known inputs to the river. In conclusion, pharmaceuticals are routinely present in semi-rural and urban rivers and require management alongside more traditional pollutants.
School of Geography/water@leeds, University of Leeds, Leeds, West Yorkshire, LS2 9JT, UK. Electronic address: p.kay@leeds.ac.uk.
Paul
P
Kay
School of Geography/water@leeds, University of Leeds, Leeds, West Yorkshire, LS2 9JT, UK.
Stephen R
SR
Hughes
School of Molecular and Cellular Biology, University of Leeds, Leeds, West Yorkshire, LS2 9JT, UK.
James R
JR
Ault
School of Molecular and Cellular Biology, University of Leeds, Leeds, West Yorkshire, LS2 9JT, UK.
Alison E
AE
Ashcroft
School of Geography/water@leeds, University of Leeds, Leeds, West Yorkshire, LS2 9JT, UK.
Lee E
LE
Brown
D004784:Environmental Monitoring; D045483:Rivers / Q000737:chemistry*; D012722:Sewage / Q000737:chemistry*; D062065:Wastewater / Q000032:analysis; D014867:Water / Q000032:analysis / Q000737:chemistry*; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical / Q000032:analysis*; D060753:Water Quality
D012722:Sewage; D062065:Wastewater; D014867:Water; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical
Effluent; Emerging contaminants; Pharmaceuticals; Pollution; Water quality