Systematic screening of common wastewater-marking pharmaceuticals in urban aquatic environments: implications for environmental risk control

Abstract

In this report, we refer to pharmaceuticals that are widespread in the urban aquatic environment and that mainly originate from wastewater treatment plants or non-point source sewage as "wastewater-marking pharmaceuticals" (WWMPs). To some extent, they reflect the condition or trend of water contamination and also contribute to aquatic environmental risk assessment. The method reported here for screening typical WWMPs was proposed based on academic concerns about them and their concentrations present in the urban aquatic environment, as well as their properties of accumulation, persistence, eco-toxicity and related environmental risks caused by them. The screening system consisted of an initial screening system and a further screening system. In the former, pharmaceuticals were categorised into different evaluation levels, and in the latter, each pharmaceutical was given a normalised final evaluation score, which was the sum of every score for its properties of accumulation, persistence, eco-toxicity and environmental risk in the aquatic environment. The system was applied to 126 pharmaceuticals frequently detected in the aquatic environment. In the initial screening procedure, five pharmaceuticals were classified into the "high" category, 16 pharmaceuticals into the "medium" category, 15 pharmaceuticals into the "low" category and 90 pharmaceuticals into the "very low" category. Subsequently, further screening were conducted on 36 pharmaceuticals considered as being of "high", "medium" and "low" categories in the former system. We identified 7 pharmaceuticals with final evaluation scores of 1-10, 10 pharmaceuticals with scores of 11-15, 15 pharmaceuticals with scores from 16 to 20 and 4 pharmaceuticals with scores above 21. The results showed that this screening system could contribute to the effective selection of target WWMPs, which would be important for spatial-temporal dynamics, transference and pollution control of pharmaceuticals in the urban aquatic environment. However, there remains a number of pharmaceutical parameters with measured data gaps, such as organic carbon adsorption coefficients and bioconcentration factors, which, if filled, would improve the accuracy of the screening system.

Rapid analysis of trace organic compounds in water by automated online solid-phase extraction coupled to liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry

“…The selection of TOrCs analyzed in this study was based on data presented in previous literature that rely on occurrence data, detection frequency, toxicological relevance, availability of robust analytical methods and ability to pose as 'indicators' of water quality [36][37][38]. Additionally, emerging classes of TOrCs like perfluorinated compounds and glucocorticoid steroids were also represented in our target list to show that the method can be used for their detection.…”

Removal and reduction of selected organic micro-pollutants in effluent sewage by the ozone-based oxidation processes

“…The target compounds in the effluent sewage were selected using the developed screening system established by Zhou et al [17]. In brief, the screening included two stages.…”

Occurrence and preliminarily environmental risk assessment of selected pharmaceuticals in the urban rivers, China

“…Besides, pharmaceuticals and their metabolites can directly enter into the urban aquatic environment through urban runoff, scattered untreated sewage discharge, etc. The pharmaceuticals that are frequently present in the urban aquatic environment, originating from effluent of wastewater treatment plants or non-point source sewage has been referred to as wastewater-marking pharmaceuticals 8 . They could reflect the status or trend of wastewater contamination.…”

“…They could reflect the status or trend of wastewater contamination. For example, anti-inflammatory ibuprofen and diclofenac, antibiotics azithromycin and clarithromycin, antipyretic analgesics paracetamol, and psychomotor stimulants caffeine could be regarded as wastewater tracers 8 .…”