Occurrence and distribution of multi-class pharmaceuticals and their active metabolites and transformation products in the Ebro river basin (NE Spain)

The seasonal distribution and concentration of antibiotics in rural streams and drinking wells in the piedmont of North Carolina

The present study investigated 16 residential, rural well sites and respective nearby streams in the Piedmont of North Carolina over three different seasons to determine antibiotic presence and concentration. Fifteen antibiotics were detected in stream surface water, groundwater, and stream sediment compartments. Antibiotics detected representing penicillin, sulfonamide, macrolide, aminoglycoside, lincosamide, and quinolone groups. Sulfamethoxazole (SMX), sulfamerazine (SMR), danofloxacin (DAN), and erythromycin (ETM) were the most commonly detected among samples throughout the sampling period. Concentrations reported in the study ranged from 0 to 1740 ng/L in surface water and groundwater, and 0t378 μg/kg in stream sediment. There was a seasonal influence on antibiotic concentrations in each environmental compartment. Fall had the highest antibiotic concentrations for surface water and stream sediments overall, and groundwater concentrations were highest in the winter. Principal component analysis (PCA) was used to assess the correlation between environmental variables. Antibiotic concentrations correlated with groundwater pH, surface water pH, and surface water temperature. Non-metric multidimensional scaling (NMDS), used to display seasonal and environmental compartment data, demonstrated no discernible trend in the distribution of antibiotics over time. Human health risk assessments based on risk quotients (RQs). RQs from groundwater assessment shown no risk to children 6-11 years old, or adults 18 years old or older. Results from this study illustrate that the occurrence of antibiotics in streams and groundwater in the Piedmont of North Carolina is widespread and provide a basis for future studies investigating the occurrence of antibiotics in rural areas, especially where animal density is high. This work is important because it contributes to the paucity of information on antibiotic pollution in rural areas, and because it illustrates the importance of using a combined targeted and non-targeted approach to antibiotic pollution in streams and groundwater.

Comparison of the regulatory outline of ecopharmacovigilance of pharmaceuticals in Europe, USA, Japan and Australia

Pharmaceuticals are known to improve the quality of life by curing and preventing diseases. However, these pharmaceutical products, when it diffuses through the environment by various routes, can cause severe harmful effects to the living organisms. During the last several years, the coping with the impact of pharmaceuticals on the environment was one of the challenging tasks for the pharmaceutical industries. These concerns about the environmental health and safety risks paved the way in developing a proper regulatory framework for environmental risk assessment of pharmaceutical products. In the US, EU, and Canada, most improvements have been made in the regulation of Environmental Risk Assessment (ERA) for pharmaceuticals. Many countries and organizations like the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), had adapted these ERA procedures to fulfil the purpose. At present, there are no specific guidelines for ERA of pharmaceuticals in Japan, Australia and many other countries. Nevertheless, it is expected that they will have strict regulations and legal requirements in the future. The purpose of this study is to understand and compare the ERA regulation in Europe, USA, Japan and Australia. In this review, we have summarized the knowledge on ERA of pharmaceuticals and its consequences on the environment. It is therefore necessary to establish an eco-pharmacovigilance system for monitoring and collection of data, which would eradicate the risk of pharmaceuticals entering into the surroundings.

Environmental risk assessment of diclofenac residues in surface waters and wastewater: a hidden global threat to aquatic ecosystem

Pharmaceuticals are chemical compounds employed as medicinal drugs. They have severe physic-chemical properties which make them destructive for non-target species. Consequently, their continuous addition in the environment may pose hazardous effects. Among these, diclofenac (DCF), a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID), is extensively used in Pakistan which may lead to its accumulation in both terrestrial and aquatic environment. Present study aims to assess the presence and concentration of pharmaceutically active drug (DCF) in surface water and wastewater of twin cities of Pakistan (Rawalpindi and Islamabad). For this purpose, a validated high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) method was adopted involving solid-phase extraction procedure. Wastewater samples were collected from various sites of Rawalpindi and Islamabad. Results of HPLC analysis revealed that DCF was extant with considerably high concentration, not only in wastewater but also in surface water samples. Concentrations as high as 216 μg L^-1 was detected in Rawat industrial area and low as 8 μg L^-1 was detected in dairy farm wastewater samples collected from Taramri. However, maximum DCF levels in residential wastewater and hospital wastewater were detected to be 105 μg L^-1 and 34 μg L^-1, respectively. Moreover, the highest detected level (116 μg L^-1) was found in surface water of Sawan River. Further, results of ecological risk assessment revealed its possible toxic effects of DCF on various aquatic organisms.

Microbial transformation of widely used pharmaceutical and personal care product compounds

Pharmaceutical and personal care products (PPCPs) are commonly used chemicals that are increasingly detected in urban-impacted environments, particularly those receiving treated wastewater. PPCPs may have toxicological effects on the macrofauna that are exposed through contaminated water; thus, there is interest in microbially mediated transformations that may degrade PPCPs. This review discusses specific examples of PPCP transformations that may occur in anoxic environments, including O-methylation and O-demethylation.

Use of nanohybrid nanomaterials in water treatment: highly efficient removal of ranitidine

Entire elimination of pharmaceutical drugs from waste- and domestic-waters has attracted great attention due to their potent adverse effects on human health, particularly the human immune system. Many risks have been related to the presence of different types of drugs at different concentrations in wastewater. These risks include antimicrobial resistance (AMR), endocrine action, hormonal activation of cancers, and photodegradation of drugs. In this study, new nanohybrid materials consisting of graphene oxide (GO) and oxidized carbon nanotubes (OCNTs) were developed to remove a well-known drug, namely, ranitidine that treats stomach ulcers and gastrointestinal (GI) reflux disease from aqueous solutions. The characterization of synthesized nanohybrid GO-OCNTs was performed using spectroscopic (FTIR, and XRD), thermogravimetric (TGA) and microscopic (SEM) techniques. Batch adsorption experiments were used to investigate the technical feasibility of using synthesized GO-OCNTs for the removal of ranitidine from aqueous solutions. The effects of different operating conditions such as contact time, nanohybrid mass, solution temperature, solution pH, % crosslinking agent, and GO-to-OCNT ratio on the entire elimination of ranitidine were investigated. The experimental results indicated that the removal of ranitidine was very efficient, where 98.3% removal of the drug from aqueous solutions was achieved with a drug uptake of 97.8 mg g⁻¹. Moreover, the results indicated the optimum conditions for the removal of ranitidine, which are as follows: contact time = 140 minutes, nanohybrid GO-OCNT mass = 10 mg, solution temperature = 290 K, solution pH = 6.4, % crosslinking agent = 0.5%, and GO to O-CNT ratio = 1 : 4. The equilibrium data were fitted to different adsorption isotherms and Langmuir was found to best describe our data. Dynamic studies demonstrated that ranitidine adsorption followed pseudo-second order, and the thermodynamic parameters confirmed exothermic drug adsorption as well as the physisorption process.

Entire elimination of pharmaceutical drugs from waste- and domestic-waters has attracted great attention due to their potent adverse effects on human health, particularly the human immune system.

Occurrence of anticancer drugs in the aquatic environment: a systematic review

Water contamination with pharmaceutical products is a well-studied problem. Numerous studies have demonstrated the presence of anticancer drugs in different water resources that failed to be eliminated by conventional wastewater treatment plants. The purpose of this report was to conduct a systematic review of anticancer drugs in the aquatic environment. The methodology adopted was carried out in compliance with the PRISMA guidelines. From the 75 studies that met the specific requirements for inclusion, data extracted showed that the most common anticancer drugs studied are cyclophosphamide, tamoxifen, ifosfamide and methotrexate with concentrations measured ranging between 0.01 and 86,200 ng/L. There was significant variation in the methodologies employed due to lack of available guidelines to address sampling techniques, seasonal variability and analytical strategy. The most routinely used technique for quantitative determination was found to be solid-phase extraction followed by LC-MS analysis. The lowest reported recovery percentage was 11%, and the highest limit of detection was 1700 ng/L. This indicated the inadequacy of some methods to analyse anticancer drugs and the failure to obtain reliable results. The significant heterogeneity within methodologies made it difficult to compare results and draw conclusions, nevertheless, this study aids in the extrapolation of proposed recommendations to guide future studies and reviews. Graphical abstract.

Occurrence, interactive effects and ecological risk of diclofenac in environmental compartments and biota - a review

Diclofenac, a nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug has turned into a contaminant of emerging concern; hence, it was included in the previous Watch List of the EU Water Framework Directive. This review paper aims to highlight the metabolism of diclofenac at different trophic levels, its occurrence, ecological risks, and interactive effects in the water cycle and biota over the past two decades. Increased exposure to diclofenac not only raises health concerns for vultures, aquatic organisms, and higher plants but also causes serious threats to mammals. The ubiquitous nature of diclofenac in surface water (river, lake canal, estuary, and sea) is compared with drinking water, groundwater, and wastewater effluent in the environment. This comprehensive survey from previous studies suggests the fate of diclofenac in wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) and may predict its persistence in the environment. This review offers evidence of fragmentary available data for the water environment, soil, sediment, and biota worldwide and supports the need for further data to address the risks associated with the presence of diclofenac in the environment. Finally, we suggest that the presence of diclofenac and its metabolites in the environment may represent a high risk because of their synergistic interactions with existing contaminants, leading to the development of drug-resistant strains and the formation of newly emerging pollutants.

Occurrence of antibiotics residues in hospital wastewater, wastewater treatment plant, and in surface water in Nairobi County, Kenya

The occurrence of 17 antibiotics belonging to sulfonamides, β-lactams, macrolides and aminoglycosides classes, and trimethoprim in raw hospital wastewater, wastewater treatment plant (WWTP), and surface water was determined. Residual antibiotics were quantified by LC/MS/MS. Residues of antibiotics in hospital wastewater were 3-10 times higher than that detected in WWTP and surface water. Trimethoprim, spectinomycin, ampicillin, and oxacillin were detected in all the sampled water. Sulfamethoxazole was detected at the highest concentration of 20.6, 7.8, and 6.8 μg L^-1 in hospital wastewater, WWTP and in surface water, respectively. Other detected sulfonamides were sulfamethazine, sulfadiazine, and sulfanilamide at a concentration range of 0.4-15.7 μg L^-1. Detected trimethoprim ranged from 0.4-6.6 μg L^-1, the rest of the detected antibiotics were up to 1.0 μg L^-1. The speciation of the sulfonamides at pH values relevant to sampled water was evaluated by use of pKa values. These compounds existed largely as anionic and neutral species indicating high mobility as these speciation forms are less sorbed in environmental matrices. Continuous monitoring of antibiotics residues in wastewater, surface water, and other environmental matrices is very important due to their adverse health and environmental effects. The information is useful in designing strategies for antibiotics pollution control and also in policy formulation.

Electronic Tongue Coupled to an Electrochemical Flow Reactor for Emerging Organic Contaminants Real Time Monitoring

Triclosan, which is a bacteriostatic used in household items, has raised health concerns, because it might lead to antimicrobial resistance and endocrine disorders in organisms. The detection, identification, and monitoring of triclosan and its by-products (methyl triclosan, 2,4-Dichlorophenol and 2,4,6-Trichlorophenol) are a growing need in order to update current water treatments and enable the continuous supervision of the contamination plume. This work presents a customized electronic tongue prototype coupled to an electrochemical flow reactor, which aims to access the monitoring of triclosan and its derivative by-products in a real secondary effluent. An electronic tongue device, based on impedance measurements and polyethylenimine/poly(sodium 4-styrenesulfonate) layer-by-layer and TiO₂, ZnO and TiO₂/ZnO sputtering thin films, was developed and tested to track analyte degradation and allow for analyte detection and semi-quantification. A degradation pathway trend was observable by means of principal component analysis, being the sample separation, according to sampling time, explained by 77% the total variance in the first two components. A semi-quantitative electronic tongue was attained for triclosan and methyl-triclosan. For 2,4-Dichlorophenol and 2,4,6-Trichlorophenol, the best results were achieved with only a single sensor. Finally, working as multi-analyte quantification devices, the electronic tongues could provide information regarding the degradation kinetic and concentrations ranges in a dynamic removal treatment.

Hydrolytic stability of selected pharmaceuticals and their transformation products

The fact that pharmaceuticals are present in the environment has been proven in numerous publications. Nevertheless, their transformation products (mainly metabolites) are detected significantly less often, mainly because they are not included in the detecting methods, even though many of them are excreted from organisms at high rates and may be biologically active or have other properties that make them a potential threat to the environment. One of the most common processes that occur in the aqueous environment is hydrolysis, which may be one of the most important factors influencing the persistency of pharmaceuticals. Therefore four pharmaceuticals (carbamazepine, ibuprofen, tramadol and naproxen) as well as ten metabolites (10,11-dihydro-10-hydroxy carbamazepine, 10,11-dihydro-2-hydroxy carbamazepine, carbamazepine epoxide, 2-hydroxy ibuprofen, ibuprofen carboxylic acid, O-desmethyltramadol, hydroxy metronidazole, N-acetylsulfamethoxazole, 4'-hydroxy diclofenac, and O-desmethylnaproxen) were selected for the hydrolytic stability tests in accordance to OECD 111 Guideline. The preliminary test showed that only carbamazepine epoxide at pH 4, hydroxy metronidazole at pH 9 and 4'-hydroxy diclofenac at pH 4 and 9 were unstable and were included in the extended tests, which resulted in calculation of rate constants and half-lives at the temperature of 20, 50 and 70 °C as well as the activation energy at the pH values in which these compounds were unstable. The obtained results show that carbamazepine epoxide is quite unstable and the half-life at 20 °C was a little more than 8 days. Nevertheless, hydroxy-metronidazole and 4'-hydroxy diclofenac did not degrade at 20 °C for 30 days.

Comprehensive investigation of a wide range of pharmaceuticals and personal care products in urban and hospital wastewaters in Greece

Detection and quantification of Pharmaceutical and Personal care products (PPCPs) in wastewaters and aqueous samples is crucial in terms of environmental monitoring and risk assessment for these emerging contaminants in the environment. The majority of the studies on PPCPs in wastewaters involve analysis only of representative compounds for each class, while few studies reported for the analysis of several compounds from multiple classes of PPCPs in samples. In this light, the aim of this work was to develop a multiresidue analytical protocol based on solid phase extraction (SPE) coupled to liquid chromatography combined with tandem mass spectrometer-(LC-MS/MS) for simultaneous determination of 138 substances including 37 different classes of PPCPs that can be used for monitoring in wastewater. Hence, an extensive monitoring survey of PPCPs in four wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) in three cities of North (Thessaloniki) and Central (Larisa, Volos) Greece region has been conducted. In addition, the occurrence of the target compounds in raw waters of effluents from two medium-size hospitals located in the Larisa Region was investigated. Analgesics-anti-inflammatories (paracetamol, diclofenac, ibuprofen, salicylic acid), diuretic (furosemide), antibiotics (amoxicillin, ampicillin, clarithromycin, azithromycin), anti-hypertensives (valsartan, irbesartan, telmisartan), psychiatric drugs (carbamazepine, venlafaxine, citalopram), stimulant (caffeine) and beta blockers (atenolol, metoprolol, pindolol) were among the most frequently detected compounds. The removal rates varied between the different therapeutic groups, as well within each therapeutic group, important variations in removal were observed, going from not eliminated to 100%. Mass loading distribution in the different WWTPs was also evaluated. Finally, the risk quotient approach (RQ) for single substances and the cumulative RQ for the classes of the target PPCPs was used in order to identify the potential ecotoxicological risk posed in the tree trophic levels of aquatic organisms.

Photobioreactors based on microalgae-bacteria and purple phototrophic bacteria consortia: A promising technology to reduce the load of veterinary drugs from piggery wastewater

Traditional swine manure treatments are not fully effective in the removal of veterinary drugs. Moreover, they are costly and entail a significant carbon footprint in many cases. Innovative biological approaches based on phototrophic microorganisms have recently emerged as promising alternatives to overcome those limitations. This work evaluated the removal of 19 veterinary drugs (i.e., 16 antibiotics, 1 analgesic, 1 anti-parasitic and 1 hormone) from piggery wastewater (PWW) in two open photobioreactors (PBR) operated with a consortium of microalgae-bacteria (AB-PBR) and purple photosynthetic bacteria (PPB-PBR). Multiple hydraulic retention times (HRT), in particular 11, 8 and 4 days, were tested during stage I, II and III, respectively. Ten out of 19 target compounds were detected with inlet drug concentrations ranging from 'non-detected' (n.d.) to almost 23,000 ng L^-1 for the antibiotic oxytetracycline. Moreover, three of the antibiotics (i.e., enrofloxacin, sulfadiazine and oxytetracycline) were found at concentrations above the analytical linearity range in some or all of the samples under study. AB-PBR supported higher removal efficiencies (REs) than PPB-PBR, except for danofloxacin. Overall, REs progressively decreased when decreasing the HRT. The highest REs (>90%) were observed for doxycycline (95 ± 3%) and oxytetracycline (93 ± 3%) in AB-PBR during stage I. The other drugs, except sulfadimidine that was the most recalcitrant, showed REs above 70% during stage I in the same photobioreactor. In contrast, no removal was observed for danofloxacin in AB-PBR during stage III, sulfadimidine in PPB-PBR during stage III or marbofloxacin in PPB-PBR during the entire experiment.

Distribution and ecological risk of pharmaceuticals in surface water of the Yeongsan river, Republic of Korea

This study examined the distribution of pharmaceuticals in Yeongsan River and at point sources (PSs) in the associated water system, and performed a risk assessment based on our findings. The samples included effluents collected from three sewage treatment plants (PS1, PS2, and PS3) and two industrial complexes (PS4 and PS5) as well as surface water collected from seven mainstreams and 11 tributaries of the river. The target pharmaceuticals were acetylsalicylic acid, carbamazepine, clarithromycin, naproxen, sulfamethazine, sulfamethoxazole, sulfathiazole, and trimethoprim, which were detected by liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry. All pharmaceuticals except acetylsalicylic acid and sulfathiazole were found in PS1, PS2, and PS3 samples, whereas acetylsalicylic acid, carbamazepine, sulfamethazine, and sulfamethoxazole were found in PS4, most of the pharmaceuticals were not present in PS5. The rank order of pharmaceutical concentration in surface water was carbamazepine (97.2%, 0.2067 μg/L) > sulfamethoxazole (88.9%, 0.1132 μg/L) > naproxen (51.4%, 0.0516 μg/L) > clarithromycin (43.1%, 0.0427 μg/L). The distribution of pharmaceuticals in the Yeongsan River at PSs and non-PSs differed, and higher concentrations of human pharmaceuticals were detected in upstream and midstream areas whereas higher concentrations of animal pharmaceuticals were found downstream. Hazard quotients (HQs) evaluated at each sites based on mean concentration and 95% upper confidence limits (95% UCLs) were all less than one, indicating a low risk of toxicity. The findings of this study are expected to be useful for risk assessment of aquatic ecosystems.

The EU watch list compounds in the Ebro delta region: Assessment of sources, river transport, and seasonal variations

The presence of xenobiotics in the aquatic environment has drawn scientific concern due to possible detrimental effects on the ecosystems. With EU Decision 2015/495, a first Watch list of compounds that could potentially represent a threat for the environment was created, with the objective of gathering high quality monitoring data and support their prioritization. Literature data are still very scarce and the presence of many of the compounds has not been investigated thoroughly. In this study, all the 17 compounds of the EU Watch list 2015/495 were monitored in 14 sampling locations, comprised of freshwater and, for the first time, wastewater. The study was carried out in the Ebro delta, in the north east of Spain, a representative and crucial area not only for its environmental and naturalistic significance, but also for Spain's productivity, especially as regards rice agriculture. Results show that contamination originates both from wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) and agricultural activities. High levels of pharmaceuticals were detected in wastewater, with azithromycin and diclofenac present at mean concentrations of 1.65 μg/L and 636  ng/L respectively. In freshwater samples, besides antibiotics and diclofenac, substantial contamination by pesticides was reported, with oxadiazon reaching up to 591 ng/L and imidacloprid being present in 93% of samples. Moreover, the study provided insight into the origin of the selected contaminants. The removal of the studied micropollutants in WWTPs was low to moderate. The assessment of risk quotients, calculated based on the available PNECs, demonstrated that the concentrations recorded for these compounds may pose a significant risk in most sampling sites.

Effects of mixtures of anticancer drugs in the benthic polychaete Nereis diversicolor

The increasing consumption of anticancer drugs through single and/or combinatory chemotherapy worldwide raised concern regarding their toxicity burden in coastal zones. The toxicity of a mixture of three compounds involving the drugs cisplatin (CisPt), cyclophosphamide (CP) and tamoxifen (TAM) was determined on the marine polychaete Nereis diversicolor exposed to an increasing range of their concentrations, respectively: Mix A: 0.1 + 10 + 0.1 ng L^-1; Mix B: 10 + 100 + 10 ng L^-1; Mix C: 100 + 500 + 25 ng L^-1; Mix D: 100 + 1000 + 100 ng L^-1. Different endpoints were assessed, including disturbance in the burrowing behaviour, neurotoxicity (acetylcholinesterase - AChE activity), antioxidant enzymes (superoxide dismutase - SOD; catalase - CAT; selenium-dependent glutathione peroxidase - Se-GPx and total glutathione peroxidases T-GPx activities), biotransformation metabolism (glutathione-S-transferases - GST), lipid peroxidation (LPO) and genotoxicity (DNA damage). Biological effects of the mixtures of anticancer compounds on N. diversicolor were compared with previous studies about effects on the same biological model under single-drug exposure conducted with the same molecules. Regarding SOD activity, TAM showed an antagonist effect over CisPt and CP in mixtures C and D. In Mix D, there was a synergistic effect of TAM and CisPt that inhibited CAT activity and an additive interaction of CisPt and CP on the Phase II biotransformation enzyme. Drugs in Mix A also suppressed polychaetes' GST activity, although different from the respective single-drug responses, besides able to induce T-GPx activity, that was not sufficient to avoid oxidative damage and mid-grade DNA damage. Due to the absence of burrowing impairment in Mix A, mechanisms involved in neurotoxicity were other than the one driven by AChE alterations. At the intermediary concentrations (Mix B and C), only LPO occurred. Data from drugs individually may not predict the risks provided by mixtures.

Impacts of in vivo and in vitro exposures to tamoxifen: Comparative effects on human cells and marine organisms

Tamoxifen (TAM) is a first generation-SERM administered for hormone receptor-positive (HER+) breast cancer in both pre- and post-menopausal patients and may undergo metabolic activation in organisms that share similar receptors and thus face comparable mechanisms of response. The present study aimed to assess whether environmental trace concentrations of TAM are bioavailable to the filter feeder M. galloprovincialis (100 ng L^-1) and to the deposit feeder N. diversicolor (0.5, 10, 25 and 100 ng L^-1) after 14 days of exposure. Behavioural impairment (burrowing kinetic), neurotoxicity (AChE activity), endocrine disruption by alkali-labile phosphate (ALP) content, oxidative stress (SOD, CAT, GPXs activities), biotransformation (GST activity), oxidative damage (LPO) and genotoxicity (DNA damage) were assessed. Moreover, this study also pertained to compare TAM cytotoxicity effects to mussels and targeted human (i.e. immortalized retinal pigment epithelium - RPE; and human transformed endothelial cells - HeLa) cell lines, in a range of concentrations from 0.5 ng L^-1 to 50 μg L^-1. In polychaetes N. diversicolor, TAM exerted remarkable oxidative stress and damage at the lowest concentration (0.5 ng L^-1), whereas significant genotoxicity was reported at the highest exposure level (100 ng L^-1). In mussels M. galloprovincialis, 100 ng L^-1 TAM caused endocrine disruption in males, neurotoxicity, and an induction in GST activity and LPO byproducts in gills, corroborating in genotoxicity over the exposure days. Although cytotoxicity assays conducted with mussel haemocytes following in vivo exposure was not effective, in vitro exposure showed to be a feasible alternative, with comparable sensitivity to human cell line (HeLa).

Theoretical environmental risk assessment of ten used pharmaceuticals in Belo Horizonte, Brazil

An evaluation of the environmental risk assessment (ERA) proposed by European Medicines Agency (EMA) and its applicability in Brazil was performed on ten of Belo Horizonte's most pharmaceuticals by the Brazilian National Health Service (SUS). The predicted environmental concentrations (PECs) was proposed, with some refinements to a better representation of the city of study. All PECs obtained were compared only to measured environmental concentrations around the world, due to the lack available data in the city of study and in Brazil. During the performance of EMA's guideline, the risk quotient (RQ) of impact was established through the ratio of PECs and predicted no-effect concentrations (PNECs). The PECs obtained in more refined phases show the initial evaluation of EMA's guideline, possible subdimensions, and the potential risks. The RQ for all studied pharmaceuticals ranges from clonazepam (1.26) to losartan (5457.45). These results indicate potential risks to the aquatic life present in the streams that receive the wastewater treatment plant's effluent. This risk can be spread since the streams carry these contaminants to other water bodies that undergo to multiple cities of Brazil, and even after dilutions, it can still be potentially toxic to the biotic life. ERA shows that it can be a useful tool for a better understanding and modeling of pharmaceuticals fate in the environment, specifically in water bodies. In addition, the usage of this model shows to be a useful tool that determines which contaminant should follow a more thorough study since the detection and analysis of pharmaceuticals in environmental samples are costly and technically challenging.

Alterations to embryonic development and teratogenic effects induced by a hospital effluent on Cyprinus carpio oocytes

Hospital functioning generates a great quantity of contaminants, among which organic materials, heavy metals, and diverse pharmaceuticals are noteworthy that can affect organisms if they are not properly removed from the effluents. The hospital effluent evaluated in the present study came from IMSS (Instituto Mexicano del Seguro Social) Clinic 221 in downtown Toluca, State of Mexico, a secondary care facility. The contaminants identified in hospitals have been associated with deleterious effects on aquatic organisms; however, it is necessary to continue with more studies in order to be able to regulate the production of said contaminants which are generally dumped into the city sewage system. The present study had the purpose of evaluating the alterations to embryonic development and teratogenic effects on oocytes Cyprinus carpio after exposure to different proportions of hospital effluent. For said purpose, the physicochemical properties of the effluent were determined. Concentrations of the main microcontaminants were also determined. An embryolethality study out and the determination of the main alterations to embryonic development and teratogenic effects produced, due to exposure of C. carpio at different proportions of the effluent, were carried out. The results showed that the physicochemical properties were within the values permitted by Mexican regulation; however, the presence of contaminants such as NaClO, metals, anti-biotics, anti-diabetics, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, hormones and beta-blockers, was detected. Lethal concentration 50 was 5.65% and the effective concentration for malformations was 3.85%, with a teratogenic index of 1.46. The main teratogenic alterations were yolk deformation, scoliosis, modified chorda structure, tail malformation, fin deformity and mouth hyperplasia. A high rate of hatching delay was observed. The results suggest that the hospital effluent under study is capable of inducing embryotoxicity and teratogenicity in oocytes of C. carpio.

Effects of Multi-Component Mixtures from Sewage Treatment Plant Effluent on Common Carp (Cyprinus carpio) under Fully Realistic Condition

This study characterized changes in biomarker responses in common carp (Cyprinus carpio) upon exposure to effluent water discharged from a sewage treatment plant (STP) under real conditions. Fish were exposed to contamination in Cezarka pond, which receives all of its water input from the STP in the town of Vodnany, Czech Republic. Five sampling events were performed at day 0, 30, 90, 180, and 360 starting in April 2015. In total, 62 pharmaceutical and personal care products (PPCPs) were detected in the polar organic chemical integrative sampler. Compared to a control pond, the total concentration of PPCPs was 45, 16, 7, and 7 times higher in Cezarka pond at day 30, 90, 180, and 360, respectively. The result of oxidative stress and antioxidant enzyme biomarkers indicated alterations in the liver and intestine tissues of fish from Cezarka pond at day 30 and 360, respectively. High plasma vitellogenin levels were observed in both exposed females (180 and 360 days) and males (360 days) compared with their respective controls. However, only exposed female fish had higher vitellogenin mRNA expression than the control fish in these periods. Exposed female fish showed irregular structure of the ovary with scattered oocytes, which further developed to a vitellogenic stage at day 360. Low white blood cell levels were indicated in all exposed fish. Despite numerous alterations in exposed fish, favorable ecological conditions including high availability of food resulted in a better overall condition of the exposed fish after 1 year of exposure compared to the controls.

Acute ecotoxicological effects of salicylic acid on the Polychaeta species Hediste diversicolor: evidences of low to moderate pro-oxidative effects

Contamination of the aquatic environment by pharmaceutical drugs is an emerging issue in ecotoxicology. Aquatic organisms, in the presence of xenobiotics, tend to activate defensive mechanisms against toxic effects in order to mitigate and/or compensate for the toxic damages that frequently result from these interactions. Salicylic acid (SA) is a common drug, widely used in human medicine due to its analgesic, anti-inflammatory, and antipyretic properties, as well as its activity in terms of preventing platelet aggregation, among other clinical and cosmetic uses. It is commonly found in levels of the nanograms per liter to the micrograms per liter range in receiving waters, and its presence has been related to toxic effects in aquatic organisms, including oxidative stress. However, the number of studies that characterize the ecotoxicological profile of salicylates is still scarce and no studies have been published about the putative toxic effects of SA, especially in marine polychaetes. In order to determine the potential ecotoxicological effects caused by SA, individuals of the marine Polychaeta species Hediste diversicolor were exposed for 96 h to ecologically relevant concentrations of this compound, and several biochemical endpoints were evaluated, namely the activity of the antioxidant enzymes glutathione peroxidase (GPx) and catalase (CAT), the phase II biotransformation isoenzymes glutathione S-transferases (GSTs), the cholinergic enzyme acetylcholinesterase (AChE), and the determination of lipoperoxidative damage (thiobarbituric acid-reactive substances (TBARS) assay). The obtained results demonstrated that despite the pro-oxidative effects elicited by SA, exposure to realistic levels of this compound was not able to generate a state of oxidative stress, and the adaptive protective responses elicited by exposed individuals were effective enough to minimize and/or inhibit the damage potentially caused by overproduced reactive oxygen species.

Pharmaceuticals in freshwater aquatic environments: A comparison of the African and European challenge

Hundreds of tons of pharmaceutical compounds are annually dispensed and consumed worldwide. Pharmaceuticals are an important class of emerging environmental micropollutants: their presence in water bodies is an increasing environmental concern. The aim of this review paper is to provide a comprehensive review of the occurrence of pharmaceuticals in freshwater aquatic environments in the African and European context. A literature survey has been performed, resulting in 3024 data points related to environmental occurrence. The concentration levels of 71 pharmaceuticals were assessed. The top ten most frequently detected and quantified compounds in both continents were sulfamethoxazole, carbamazepine, diclofenac, trimethoprim, ibuprofen, naproxen, paracetamol (acetaminophen), ketoprofen, venlafaxine and clarithromycin. The maximum concentrations of 17β-estradiol, estriol, ciprofloxacin, sulfamethoxazole, paracetamol, naproxen reported in African aquatic environments were ~3140, ~20,000, ~125, ~100, ~215 and ~171 times higher, respectively, than the concentrations reported in European based studies. The variation in pharmaceutical consumption, partial removal of pharmaceuticals in wastewater treatment processes, and the direct discharge of livestock animal farm wastewater were identified among the major reasons for the observed differences. Several pharmaceuticals were found in aquatic environments of both continents in concentration levels higher than their ecotoxicity endpoints. In Europe, compounds such as diclofenac, ibuprofen, triclosan, sulfadimidine, carbamazepine and fluoxetine were reported in a concentration higher than the available ecotoxicity endpoints. In Africa, much more compounds reached concentrations more than the ecotoxicity endpoints, including diclofenac, ibuprofen, paracetamol, naproxen, ciprofloxacin, triclosan, trimethoprim, sulfamethoxazole, carbamazepine and fluoxetine, estriol and 17β-estradiol. Details for each therapeutic group are presented in this review.

Ecotoxicological characterization of the antiepileptic drug carbamazepine using eight aquatic species: baseline study for future higher tier tests

Ecotoxicological effects of the antiepileptic drug carbamazepine (CBZ) were investigated in one primary producer (Desmodesmus subspicatus) and seven invertebrate species (Daphnia magna, Daphnia pulex, Ceriodaphnia dubia, Gammarus fossarum, Potamopyrgus antipodarum, Lumbriculus variegatus and Chironomus riparius) using OECD and US EPA guidelines for chronic toxicity testing. The present data set was used to conduct a hazard assessment for CBZ including confirmatory data. While most of our results were in accordance with previous studies, published effect data for C. dubia and D. pulex could not be confirmed, even though they have previously been considered to be the most sensitive invertebrate species to CBZ exposure. The non-biting midge, C. riparius, was the most sensitive test organism in the present study. From an EC₁₀ of 406 µg/L and a no observed effect concentration (NOEC) of 400 µg/L, a predicted no effect concentration (PNEC) of 8 µg/L was calculated. With regard to realistic predicted and measured environmental concentrations, the environmental risk can be considered as low for CBZ when the assessment is based on laboratory-based effect data. To conduct a refined and more realistic assessment, this study provides foundational data for two future, higher tier studies: one multiple-stressor experiment and one mesocosm study.

Pharmaceuticals as chemical markers of wastewater contamination in the vulnerable area of the Ebro Delta (Spain)

This study evaluated the occurrence and distribution of 81 pharmaceutically active compounds (PhACs) in the vulnerable area of the Ebro Delta region (Catalonia, Spain), to assess the environmental impact of wastewater treatment plants discharge to coastal environments. The occurrence of PhACs was followed along the wastewater-recipient water-sediment chain until they reach estuaries and the Mediterranean Sea. Water and sediment samples were collected in an integrated way at different sampling points covering three different seasons in reaches of the Ebro River located upstream and downstream from wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs), surrounding channels, estuaries, and the associated receiving seawater. 28 out of the 57 compounds detected in effluent wastewater were positively identified in estuary and seawaters, revealing that WWTP discharges are an important source of contamination in coastal environments and that PhACs are suitable markers of urban contamination in these areas. The substances with the highest frequency of detection belonged to the groups of analgesics/anti-inflammatories (acetaminophen, salicylic acid), antihypertensives (valsartan), psychiatric drugs (carbamazepine), and antibiotics (clarithromycin, trimethoprim). In general, a decrease in concentration was observed from inland sampling points towards the Mediterranean Sea, resulting from a dilution in the recipient marine water bodies. A reduced number of PhACs, at concentrations ranging from 0.1 to 12.5 ng g^-1 dry weight (d.w.) was detected in sediment samples, indicating that sorption is a minor natural attenuation pathway for these compounds. Finally, a prioritization strategy, based on the compounds concentration and frequency of detection in seawater, removal efficiency in WWTP, bioaccumulation potential, toxicity to marine organisms and persistency, was used to highlight the PhACs of major ecological concern and that could be used as relevant indicators of wastewater contamination in coastal environments.

A simple, fast method for the analysis of 20 contaminants of emerging concern in river water using large-volume direct injection liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry

A fast and sensitive method for the determination of a structurally and physico-chemically diverse group of contaminants of emerging concern (CEC) based on large-volume direct injection liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry was developed. The method can be used to determine 20 CECs belonging to different pollutant families (pharmaceuticals, personal care products, and pesticides) in river water at nanogram per liter. A single analytical run is required and the positive and negative ionization modes can be used simultaneously. Because of the large-volume injections of samples and the high sensitivity of the current mass spectrometers, the method has no need of a preconcentration step. The analytes are quantitated with matrix-matched calibration curves. The estimated limits of detection were in the range 0.1-5 ng L^-1. The accuracy of the method was in the range 86-114%, and the precision, expressed as a relative standard deviation (RSD %), was below 18% for all the analytes (n = 5, at 5, 10, and 25 ng L^-1). The method was applied to water samples taken from different points along the lower course of the Ebro River, Spain. A total of 12 out of the 20 target analytes were detected, and the ones at higher concentrations were caffeine and the pharmaceuticals paracetamol and ibuprofen (184.8 ng L^-1, 63.3 ng L^-1, and 23.3 ng L^-1, respectively).

Contamination patterns and attenuation of pharmaceuticals in a temporary Mediterranean river

The contamination patterns and fate of pharmaceutically active compounds (PhACs) were investigated in the Evrotas River (Southern Greece). This is a temporary river with differing levels of water stress and water quality impairment in a number of its reaches. Three sampling campaigns were conducted in order to capture different levels of water stress and water quality. Four sampling sites located on the main channel of the Evrotas River were sampled in July 2015 (moderate stream flow), and June and September 2016 (low stream flow). Discharge of urban wastewater has been determined as the main source of pollution, with PhACs, nutrients and other physicochemical parameters considerably increasing downstream the wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) of Sparta city. Due to the pronounced hydrological variation of the Evrotas River, generally, the highest concentrations of PhACs have been detected during low flow conditions. Simultaneously, low flow resulted in an increased water travel time and consequently longer residence time that accounted for the higher attenuation of most PhACs. The average decrease in total concentration of PhACs within the studied waterbody segment (downstream of Sparta city) increased from 22% in July 2015 to 25% in June 2016 and 77% in September 2016. The PhACs with the highest average concentration decrease throughout the sampling campaigns were hydrochlorothiazide, followed by sotalol, carbamazepine, valsartan, and naproxen.

Removal and degradation mechanisms of sulfonamide antibiotics in a new integrated aerobic submerged membrane bioreactor system

A novel laboratory-scale aerobic submerged membrane bioreactor integrating sponge-plastic biocarriers (SPSMBR) was conducted to study the removal and degradation mechanisms of sulfonamide antibiotics (SAs). Experimental results indicated that SPSMBR had a better removal of sulfadiazine (91% SDZ) and sulfamethoxazole (88% SMZ) than that of a conventional aerobic submerged membrane bioreactor (CSMBR) (76% SDZ and 71% SMZ, respectively). Material balance calculations suggested that biodegradation is the primary removal mechanism of SDZ and SMZ. Protein (tyrosine-like materials) significantly affected the removal of SAs. Moreover, the SPSMBR exhibited its better performance in removing SAs due to more abundance of tyrosine-like materials. The 16S rRNA sequencing showed that biocarriers could promote the enrichment of slow growing bacteria, especially Thermomonas, associated with the removal of SAs. Valuable insights into the removal and degradation mechanisms of SAs in the SPSMBR systems are documented here.

Ecotoxicological effects prior to and after the ozonation of tamoxifen

The endocrine disrupting micropollutant tamoxifen can induce several effects on aquatic organisms. It is introduced into the environment mainly by wastewater treatment plant effluents. To reduce the discharge of micropollutants into surface waters, ozonation can be used as additional wastewater treatment option. For only few transformation products (TPs) formed by ozonation ecotoxicological data are available. To enable an initial estimation of ecotoxicological potentials of the TPs formed after the ozonation of tamoxifen, acute toxicity (immobilization) to Daphnia magna and green algae growth inhibition using Desmodesmus subspicatus were determined for several ozone doses spiked at pH 3 and pH 7. The initial immobilization of D. magna by tamoxifen was not further observed after ozonation. In contrast, the green algae growth inhibition increased due to ozonation of tamoxifen. Overall, five transformation products were observed. For three TPs, positive correlations of green algae growth inhibition and peak area were determined, whereas two TPs do not induce the residual effects. Based on our observations, TP 270 can be assumed as most potent of the formed TPs concerning green algae growth inhibition. Since the effect is not induced by formed N-oxides, green algae growth inhibition could be reduced by sufficient ozone exposure during wastewater treatment.

Pharmaceutically active compounds in the Xiangjiang River, China: Distribution pattern, source apportionment, and risk assessment

The occurrence of 36 pharmaceutically active compounds in surface water of the Xiangjiang River was investigated in two seasons (n = 38). Twenty-five of these compounds were detected, with cefotaxime (maximum concentration 830 ng L^-1) the most abundant compound followed by amoxicillin (maximum concentration 710 ng L^-1). The spatiotemporal distribution was observed; indicating that pollution hotspots were mostly located in economically developed and densely populated regions such as Changsha City. Lower concentrations were found in summer than winter, which may be attributed to the dilution effect of a flood event and higher water temperatures. The distribution of pharmaceuticals was significantly correlated with temperature and ammonia nitrogen content. A principal component analysis-multiple linear regression model estimated that domestic sewage was the main source of pharmaceuticals, although the source composition varied among different sampling sites. Risk assessment was conducted using both individual and mixture models for preliminary identification of potential hazards. Sulfamethoxazole, clarithromycin, and azithromycin posed a high risk to algae, while sulfamethoxazole, trimethoprim, and erythromycin-H₂O showed a medium risk to invertebrates. Moreover, the mixture risk quotients calculated using a concentration addition model ranged from 0.31 to 9.60 in winter, and from 0.06 to 0.61 in summer, indicating a potential risk to the aquatic environment. This study provides scientific support to policy-makers to establish contaminant management priorities and enriches the global data on emerging contaminants.

Determination of metals and pharmaceutical compounds released in hospital wastewater from Toluca, Mexico, and evaluation of their toxic impact

Due to the activities inherent to medical care units, the hospital effluent released contains diverse contaminants such as tensoactives, disinfectants, metals, pharmaceutical products and chemical reagents, which are potentially toxic to the environment since they receive no treatment or are not effectively removed by such treatment before entering the drain. They are incorporated into municipal wastewater, eventually entering water bodies where they can have harmful effects on organisms and can result in ecological damage. To determine the toxicological risk induced by this type of eflluents, eight metals and 11 pharmaceuticals were quantified, in effluent from a hospital. Developmental effects, teratogenesis and oxidative stress induction were evaluated in two bioindicator species: Xenopus laevis and Lithobates catesbeianus. FETAX (frog embryo teratogenesis assay-Xenopus) was used to obtain the median lethal concentration (LC₅₀), effective concentration inducing 50% malformation (EC₅₀), teratogenic index (TI), minimum concentration to inhibit growth (MCIG), and the types of malformation induced. Twenty oocytes in midblastula transition were exposed to six concentrations of effluent (0.1, 0.3, 0.5, 0.7, 0.9, 1%) and negative and positive (6-aminonicotinamide) controls. After 96 h of exposure, diverse biomarkers of oxidative damage were evaluated: hydroperoxide content, lipid peroxidation, protein carbonyl content, and the antioxidant enzymes superoxide dismutase and catalase. TI was 3.8 in X. laevis and 4.0 in L. catesbeianus, both exceed the value in the FETAX protocol (1.2), indicating that this effluent is teratogenic to both species. Growth inhibition was induced as well as diverse malformation including microcephaly, cardiac and facial edema, eye malformations, and notochord, tail, fin and gut damage. Significant differences relative to the control group were observed in both species with all biomarkers. This hospital effluent contains contaminants which represents a toxic risk, since these substances are teratogenic to the bioindicators used. The mechanism of damage induction may be associated with oxidative stress.

Antibiotics in the aquatic environments: A review of lakes, China

The potential threat of antibiotics to the environment and human health has raised significant concerns in recent years. The consumption and production of antibiotics in China are the highest in the world due to its rapid economic development and huge population, possibly resulting in the high detection frequencies and concentrations of antibiotics in aquatic environments of China. As a water resource, lakes in China play an important role in sustainable economic and social development. Understanding the current state of antibiotics in lakes in China is important. Closed and semi-closed lakes provide an ideal medium for the accumulation of antibiotics and antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs). This review summarizes the current levels of antibiotic exposure in relevant environmental compartments in lakes. The ecological and health risks of antibiotics are also evaluated. This review concludes that 39 antibiotics have been detected in the aquatic environments of lakes in China. The levels of antibiotic contamination in lakes in China is relatively high on the global scale. Antibiotic contamination is higher in sediment than water and aquatic organisms. Quinolone antibiotics (QNs) pose the greatest risks. The contents of antibiotics in aquatic organisms are far lower than their maximum residual limits (MRLs), with the exception of the organisms in Honghu Lake. The lakes experience high levels of ARG contamination. A greater assessment of ARG presence and antibiotic exposure are urgent.

Prospective mixture risk assessment and management prioritizations for river catchments with diverse land uses

Ecological risk assessment increasingly focuses on risks from chemical mixtures and multiple stressors because ecosystems are commonly exposed to a plethora of contaminants and nonchemical stressors. To simplify the task of assessing potential mixture effects, we explored 3 land use-related chemical emission scenarios. We applied a tiered methodology to judge the implications of the emissions of chemicals from agricultural practices, domestic discharges, and urban runoff in a quantitative model. The results showed land use-dependent mixture exposures, clearly discriminating downstream effects of land uses, with unique chemical "signatures" regarding composition, concentration, and temporal patterns. Associated risks were characterized in relation to the land-use scenarios. Comparisons to measured environmental concentrations and predicted impacts showed relatively good similarity. The results suggest that the land uses imply exceedances of regulatory protective environmental quality standards, varying over time in relation to rain events and associated flow and dilution variation. Higher-tier analyses using ecotoxicological effect criteria confirmed that species assemblages may be affected by exposures exceeding no-effect levels and that mixture exposure could be associated with predicted species loss under certain situations. The model outcomes can inform various types of prioritization to support risk management, including a ranking across land uses as a whole, a ranking on characteristics of exposure times and frequencies, and various rankings of the relative role of individual chemicals. Though all results are based on in silico assessments, the prospective land use-based approach applied in the present study yields useful insights for simplifying and assessing potential ecological risks of chemical mixtures and can therefore be useful for catchment-management decisions. Environ Toxicol Chem 2018;37:715-728. © 2017 The Authors. Environmental Toxicology Chemistry Published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Towards the understanding of antibiotic occurrence and transport in groundwater: Findings from the Baix Fluvià alluvial aquifer (NE Catalonia, Spain)

Antibiotics are an increasing focus of interest due to their high detection frequency in the environment. However, their presence in water bodies is not regulated by environmental policies. This field study investigates, for the first time, the occurrence, behavior and fate of a selection of 53 antibiotics, including up to 10 chemical groups, in an alluvial aquifer originated from manure application in an agricultural region using hydrogeological, hydrochemical and isotopic approaches. Up to 11 antibiotics were found in groundwater corresponding to 4 different chemical groups: fluoroquinolones, macrolides, quinolones and sulfonamides. In surface water, only 5 different antibiotics from 2 chemical groups: fluoroquinolones and sulfonamides, were quantified. The most frequent antibiotics were sulfamethoxazole and ciprofloxacin. Concentrations of antibiotics were in the order of ng/L, with maximum concentrations of 300ng/L in groundwater. Hydrochemistry and isotopic data and geostatistics confirmed the spatial trend observed for nitrates, where nitrate concentrations tend to be higher in the margin areas of the study area, and lower concentrations are found nearby the river. On the other hand, no clear continuous spatial concentration trend of antibiotics was observed in the aquifer, supported by the short spatial correlation found in the variograms. This indicates that the physical-chemical properties and processes of each antibiotic (mainly, sorption and degradation), and other environmental issues, such as a patchy diffuse input and the manure antibiotic content itself, play an important role in their spatial distribution in groundwater. A discussion on the estimation of the antibiotic sorption parameter reveals the difficulties of describing such phenomena. Furthermore, retardation factors will extend over several orders of magnitude, which highly affects the movement of individual antibiotics within the aquifer. To summarize, this study points out the difficulties associated with antibiotic research in groundwater in order to define water resources quality management strategies and environmental regulations.

The presence of non-native species is not associated with native fish sensitivity to water pollution in greatly hydrologically altered rivers

There is a risk of 'ecological surprises' if multiple potentially interacting stressors are managed individually, which is a question attracting significant current interest. Habitat degradation and species introductions are major threats to global biodiversity, and riverine fish are among the most threatened taxa in the world. Our interest was whether the presence of non-native species can affect native fish sensitivity to water quality deterioration in a large region in northeastern Spain (99,700km², 15 catchments, 530 sites). We used a 'base model' with geographical and hydro-morphological variables, which are the major shaping factors in rivers. We tested whether water pollution, non-native species, or their interaction provided an improved understanding of patterns of distributions and health measurements of the twelve most common native species. There was little evidence that variation in native species abundance, where they occurred, the presence of diseases and changes in mean fish length or body condition was affected by water deterioration, the presence of non-native species, or their interaction. The disease rate and occurrence of native species might be affected, to a minor degree, by water quality changes and the presence of non-native species. Environmental conditions between sites with and without non-native fish differed in the condition of riparian areas and in water quality. Based on presence-absence data and changes in abundances through weighted average equations we also derived potential safe levels of salinization, nutrient pollution, and pH for the native fish. Overall, additive effects of stressors prevail over interactions, and the restoration of natural hydro-morphology in rivers is likely to be the most effective management approach to improving the prospects for the native fish fauna.

Analysis of emerging organic contaminants in water, fish and suspended particulate matter (SPM) in the Joint Danube Survey using solid-phase extraction followed by UHPLC-MS-MS and GC-MS analysis

In the third Joint Danube Survey (JDS3), emerging organic contaminants were analysed in the dissolved water phase of samples from the Danube River and its major tributaries. Analyses were performed using solid-phase extraction (SPE) followed by ultra-high-pressure liquid chromatography triple-quadrupole mass spectrometry (UHPLC-MS-MS) and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS). The polar organic compounds analysed by UHPLC-MS-MS were 1H-benzotriazole, methylbenzotriazoles, carbamazepine, 10,11-dihydro-10,11-dihydroxy-carbamazepine, diclofenac, sulfamethox-azole, 2,4-D (2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid), MCPA (2-methyl-4-chlorophenoxyacetic acid), metolachlor, cybutryne (irgarol), terbutryn, DEET (N,N-diethyl-m-toluamide), and several perfluoroalkyl acids (C₆-C₉; C₈=perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA)) and perfluorooctansulfonic acid (PFOS). In addition, several organophosphorus flame retardants were analysed by GC-MS. The most relevant compounds identified in the 71 water samples, in terms of highest median and maximum concentrations, were 1H-benzotriazole, tris(1-chloro-2-propyl)phosphate (TCPP), methylbenzotriazoles, carbama-zepine and its metabolite, DEET, sulfamethoxazole, tris(isobutyl)phosphate (TiBP), tris(2-chloroethyl)phosphate (TCEP), PFOA, PFOS and diclofenac. The concentrations of these compounds in the samples were generally below the environmental quality standard (EQS) threshold values, with the exception of PFOS, the concentration of which exceeded the annual average water EQS limit of 0.65ng/L along the whole river, and also exceeded the fish biota EQS of 9.1μg/kg. In addition, the proposed EQS for diclofenac, of 0.1μg/L, was exceeded in the Arges River in Romania (255ng/L).

Implementing ecopharmacovigilance (EPV) from a pharmacy perspective: A focus on non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs

Environmental experts have made great efforts to control pharmaceutical pollution. However, the control of emerged environmental problems caused by medicines should draw more attention of pharmacy and pharmacovigilance researchers. Ecopharmacovigilance (EPV) as a kind of pharmacovigilance for the environment is recognized worldwide as crucial to minimize the environmental risk of pharmaceutical pollutants. But continuing to treat the pollution of pharmaceuticals as a group of substances instead of targeting individual pharmaceuticals on a prioritized basis will lead to a significant waste of resources. Considering vulture population decline caused by non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) residues, we presented a global-scale analysis of 139 reports of NSAIDs occurrence across 29 countries, in order to provide a specific context for implementing EPV. We found a heavy regional bias toward research in Europe, Asia and America. The top 5 most frequently studied NSAIDs included ibuprofen, diclofenac, naproxen, acetaminophen and ketoprofen. The profile of NSAIDs was dominated by acetaminophen in wastewater influents and effluents. Ibuprofen was the most abundant NSAID in surface water. Only 9 NSAIDs were reported in groundwater samples. And majority of NSAIDs were detected in solid matrices at below 1μg/g except for ketoprofen, diclofenac and ibuprofen. From a pharmacy perspective, we get some implication and propose some management practice options for EPV implementation. These include: Further popularizing and applying the concept of EPV, together with developing relevant regulatory guidance, is necessary; More attention should be paid to how to implement EPV for the pollution control of older established drugs; Triggering "a dynamic watch-list mechanism" in conjunction with "source control"; Implementing targeted sewage treatment technologies and strengthening multidisciplinary collaboration; Pharmaceutical levels in aquatic organisms as biological indicators for monitoring pharmaceutical pollution within the water environment; Upgrading drinking water treatment plants with the aim of removing pharmaceutical residues; Paying more attention to EPV for pharmaceuticals in solid matrices.

Spatial distribution of organic contaminants in three rivers of Southern England bound to suspended particulate material and dissolved in water

The spatial distribution of pharmaceuticals, personal care products (PPCPs) and other emerging contaminants (ECs) such as plasticisers, perflourinated compounds (PFCs) and illicit drug metabolites in water and bound to suspended particulate material (SPM) is not well-understood. Here, we quantify levels of thirteen selected contaminants in water (n=88) and their partition to suspended particulate material (SPM, n=16) in three previously-unstudied rivers of Greater London and Southern England during a key reproduction/spawning period. Analysis was conducted using an in-house validated method for Solid Phase Extraction followed by High-Performance Liquid Chromatography-Tandem Mass-Spectrometry. Analytes were extracted from SPM using an optimised method for ultrasonic-assisted solvent extraction. Detection frequencies of contaminants dissolved in water ranged from 3% (ethinylestradiol) to 100% (bisphenol-A). Overall mean concentrations in the aqueous-phase ranged from 14.7ng/L (benzoylecgonine) to 159ng/L (bisphenol-A). Sewage treatment works (STW) effluent was the predominant source of pharmaceuticals, while plasticisers/perfluorinated compounds may additionally enter rivers via other sources. In SPM, detection frequencies ranged from 44% (PFOA) to 94% (hydroxyacetophenone). Mean quantifiable levels of analytes bound to SPM ranged from 13.5ng/g dry SPM (0.33ng bound/L water) perfluorononanoic acid to 2830ng/g dry SPM (14.3ng bound/L water) perfluorooctanesulfonic acid. Long chain (>C7) amphipathic and acidic PFCs were found to more preferentially bind to SPM than short chain PFCs and other contaminants (Kd=34.1-75.5 vs <5 respectively). Per capita daily contributions of studied contaminants entering rivers ranged from 0.157μg/person/day of benzoylecgonine (cocaine metabolite) to 58.6μg/person/day of bisphenol-A. The large sample size of this work (n=104) enabled ANOVA followed by Tukey HSD post-hoc tests to establish significant trends in PPCP/EC spatial distribution from headwaters through downstream stretches of studied rivers. Novel findings include environmental Kd calculations, the occurrence of contaminants in river headwaters, increases in contaminant metabolite concentrations downstream of STW effluents revealing possible in-river degradation or de-conjugation, the influence of polarity and acidity in the partition of contaminants to particulate-material, among others.

Global scanning of antihistamines in the environment: Analysis of occurrence and hazards in aquatic systems

Concentration of the global population is increasingly occurring in megacities and other developing regions, where access to medicines is increasing more rapidly than waste management systems are implemented. Because freshwater and coastal systems are influenced by wastewater effluent discharges of differential quality, exposures in aquatic systems must be considered. Here, we performed a global scanning assessment of antihistamines (AHs), a common class of medicines, in surface waters and effluents. Antihistamines were identified, literature occurrence and ecotoxicology data on AHs collated, therapeutic hazard values (THVs) calculated, and environmental exposure distributions (EEDs) of AHs compared to ecotoxicity thresholds and drug specific THVs to estimate hazards in surface waters and effluents. Literature searches of 62 different AHs in environmental matrices identified 111 unique occurrence publications of 24 specific AHs, largely from Asia-Pacific, Europe, and North America. However, the majority of surface water (63%) and effluent (85%) observations were from Europe and North America, which highlights relatively limited information from many regions, including developing countries and rapidly urbanizing areas in Africa, Latin America and Asia. Less than 10% of all observations were for estuarine or marine systems, though the majority of human populations reside close to coastal habitats. EED 5^th and 95^th centiles for all AHs were 2 and 212ng/L in surface water, 5 and 1308ng/L in effluent and 6 and 4287ng/L in influent, respectively. Unfortunately, global hazards and risks of AHs to non-target species remain poorly understood. However, loratadine observations in surface waters exceeded a THV without an uncertainty factor 40% of the time, indicating future research is needed to understand aquatic toxicology, hazards and risks associated with this AH. This unique global scanning study further illustrates the utility of global assessments of pharmaceuticals and other contaminants to identify chemicals requiring toxicology study and regions where environmental monitoring, assessment and management efforts appear limited and necessary.

Contamination sources and distribution patterns of pharmaceuticals and personal care products in Alpine rivers strongly affected by tourism

Knowledge regarding the impact of tourism on the emergence of pharmaceuticals and personal care products (PPCPs) in Alpine river waters is limited and scarce. Therefore, a study on the occurrence patterns and spatiotemporal variability of 105 PPCPs in an Alpine river basin located in the Trentino-Alto Adige region (North-Eastern Italy) has been conducted. We observed that the total concentration of analyzed PPCPs was generally higher in all sampling sites during winter than in the summer. The analysis of tourist data revealed that during both sampling campaigns the number of tourists was lower in the downstream sites in comparison with the upstream area of the basin (Val di Sole). Particularly, sampling sites located near important tourist resorts have shown the highest abundance of the PPCPs during winter, being analgesics/anti-inflammatories, antihypertensives and antibiotics the most abundant pharmaceutically active compounds (PhACs). Diclofenac showed the highest concentration amongst PhACs, reaching concentrations up to 675ngL^-1 in the sampling site situated downstream of the Tonale wastewater treatment plant (WWTP). Antihypertensives were found at concentrations >300ngL^-1, while antibiotics were quantified up to 196ngL^-1, respectively. Amongst personal care products (PCPs), the most abundant compound was octyl-dimethyl-p-aminobenzoic acid (ODPABA) with concentrations reaching up to 748ngL^-1 in the sampling site situated within the Rotaliana district. In general, concentrations and detection frequencies were higher in water than in the sediment samples. The most frequently detected PhACs in sediments from both sampling campaigns were antibiotics, while amongst PCPs in sediments, octocrylene (OC) showed the highest concentration in both sampling campaigns. As a result, this study highlights the potential impact of tourism on the water quality of the Alpine aquatic ecosystems.

Sources of nitrogen heterocyclic PAHs (N-HETs) along a riverine course

For the first time the occurrence of 26 nitrogen heterocyclic polyaromatic hydrocarbons (N-HETs) and the antiepileptic drug carbamazepine (CBZ) as a marker for anthropogenic influence was determined in an entire river system and its influents. Besides the investigation of diurnal and annual variations in concentrations, dilution and load calculations, the aims were to facilitate transferability to other rivers by identifying sources of the different substances. To create a sufficient database over 180 aqueous samples from the River Fuhse (Lower Saxony, Germany), its catchment area, effluents of municipal and industrial wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) and rainwater were analyzed. Typical substances found in background water samples and rain samples were quinoline and isoquinoline, whereas 1-/3-methylisoquinoline were traced back to an industrial WWTP. Due to similar concentration levels in the effluents of municipal WWTPs, their impact on the river correlated with their nominal loads. In municipal WWTP effluents CBZ (c_median=1693ngL^-1), 2-methylquinoline (c_median=64ngL^-1), and acridine (c_median=62ngL^-1) prevailed. Although the occurrence of N-HETs at contaminated sites is a widely discussed scientific topic, this study showed that the investigated site was a source with only small volumetric contribution to N-HET concentrations in the adjacent river. In total the River Fuhse discharges 20kga^-1 N-HETs and 21kga^-1 CBZ into the receiving river.

Investigating natural attenuation of pharmaceuticals through unsaturated column tests

The growing consumption of pharmaceuticals together with their incomplete removal in wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) implies the occurrence of these compounds in natural water resources. To investigate the natural attenuation of selected pharmaceuticals (caffeine, acetaminophen, sulfamethoxazole, naproxen and carbamazepine) during vadose zone infiltration, unsaturated column (L 26.67 cm, Ø 7.62 cm) experiments, filled with a sandy-loamy soil, were performed using two input concentrations (100 and 1000 μg L^-1). The software Hydrus 1D was used to simulate experimental data. Caffeine and acetaminophen were never detected at the column outlet indicating a low environmental concern. On the other hand, attenuation of the detected pharmaceuticals could be reproduced by a combination of retardation and removal approaches. Carbamazepine is among the selected contaminants the most persistent. A dependence of removal rates on input concentrations was detected for sulfamethoxazole (μ_w from 2.78 d^-1 to 1.16 d^-1) and naproxen (μ_w from 1.16 d^-1 to 0.63 d^-1) attributed mainly to decreased metabolism of microorganisms when a higher input concentration is applied. Two transformation products (TPs) (N4-Acetylsulfamethoxazole and epoxycarbamazepine) derived from sulfamethoxazole and carbamazepine transformation, respectively, were detected during the experiment with the highest input concentration.

Life-cycle exposure of fathead minnows to environmentally relevant concentrations of the β-blocker drug propranolol

Propranolol is a human pharmaceutical β-blocker that has been detected in municipal wastewater effluents at ng/L to low μg/L. To assess the potential of this compound to affect fish, fathead minnow (Pimephales promelas) were exposed for a life cycle in a flow-through system to nominal propranolol concentrations of 0.87 ng/L, 8.7 ng/L, 87 ng/L, 870 ng/L, and 8700 ng/L. Measured propranolol concentrations were below detection for the 2 lowest exposure concentrations, and were 76 ng/L, 580 ng/L, and 7800 ng/L for the 3 highest exposure concentrations. During the 162-d to 165-d exposure, no significant changes in weights or lengths were seen in fathead minnows, although the highest concentration of propranolol did cause a 15% decrease in survival of larval and juvenile stage fish compared with controls. At maturity, there were no significant changes in condition factor, liver-somatic index, or secondary sex characteristics in propranolol-exposed male or female fish. Female gonadosomatic index was significantly decreased in fish exposed to the highest concentrations of propranolol, probably because of increased egg-laying. Fathead minnows from all propranolol exposures produced more eggs than control fish, with fish exposed to 7800 ng/L propranolol producing 70% more eggs per female (p = 0.060), and having significantly increased clutch size (p = 0.008). Egg quality, % fertilization, % hatching, and % deformities in F1 fry were unaffected by propranolol exposure of fish. Propranolol exposure caused no effects in fathead minnows, except at the highest exposure concentration (7800 ng/L), where there were slight decreases in survival of juvenile minnows, and indications of increased reproduction. The present study is important because it is the first to assess the potential for effects in fish exposed to propranolol for a life cycle. Environ Toxicol Chem 2017;36:1644-1651. © 2016 SETAC.

Temporal and spatial features of selected wastewater-marking pharmaceuticals and potential mechanisms of their removal from urban rivers

The investigations on seasonal and spatial distribution of 12 selected wastewater-marking pharmaceuticals (WWMPs) belonging to different therapeutic classes were conducted in three major urban rivers of Yangpu District, Shanghai, East China. The potential mechanisms for the removal of WWMPs in the rivers were also experimentally investigated. The detection frequencies of most WWMPs were in the range of 56-100%, with the exception of clofibric acid, which was not detected during the storm events. The median concentrations ranged from not detected to 5821 ng/L (caffeine) and the maximum concentration was 8662 ng/L, found in caffeine. Part of WWMPs such as paracetamol and caffeine showed significant seasonal variation (P < 0.05), while most of pharmaceuticals displayed limited concentration fluctuation under different seasons for relative low levels. The spatial pattern of most WWMPs has not showed obvious difference in the three rivers (P > 0.05). WWMPs could come from different sources, such as wastewater treatment plants, hospitals, untreated domestic wastewater, or some unknown sources. Lab-scale tests showed that the biodegradation and adsorption were the main removal pathways for WWMPs with lesser contribution from photodegradation and hydrolysis.

Products of methotrexate during chlorination

Methotrexate (MTX) is a cytotoxic drug widely used in the treatment of tumors, autoimmune diseases and severe asthma. jen00883This drug has been frequently detected in the aquatic environment with concentrations up to μg/L levels. The MTX present in environmental water might be transformed and removed during chlorination disinfection treatment. In this work, the fate of MTX during aqueous chlorination was investigated in laboratory batch experiments, and the transformation products of MTX were identified. Aqueous solutions of MTX (1mg/L) were chlorinated by sodium hypochlorite solution at room temperature under neutral pH conditions. Chlorinated products were pre-concentrated with solid-phase extraction (SPE) cartridges and determined by liquid chromatography electrospray ionization tandem mass spectrometry (LC-ESI-MS/MS). The reaction of MTX chlorination exhibited pseudo-first-order kinetics and the half-life time of MTX degradation was calculated to be 1.65min, when the initial chlorine concentration was 2mg/L. Two chlorinated MTX congeners, 4-amino-3-chlorinated-N10-methylpteroylglutamic (monochloro-MTX) and 4-amino-3,5-dichloro-N10-methylpteroylglutamic (dichloro-MTX) were found in the chlorinated solution. Monochloro-MTX was successfully fractionated by high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) and its structure was further identified using ¹H nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) analysis. The presence of the two products in real hospital wastewater was then examined and both compounds were detected. Finally, the effects of MTX and monochloro-MTX on the cell cycle progression in vitro were evaluated using zebrafish liver cell line. It was found that both compounds could inhibit the proliferation of zebrafish liver cells through S phase arrest and their effects on the cell cycle profile had no significant difference.

Fenton process on single and mixture components of phenothiazine pharmaceuticals: Assessment of intermediaries, fate, and preliminary ecotoxicity

Pharmaceuticals do not occur isolated in the environment but in multi-component mixtures and may exhibit antagonist, synergistic or additive behavior. Knowledge on this is still scarce. The situation is even more complicated if effluents or potable water is treated by oxidative processes or such transformations occur in the environment. Thus, determining the fate and effects of parent compounds, metabolites and transformation products (TPs) formed by transformation and degradation processes in the environment is needed. This study investigated the fate and preliminary ecotoxicity of the phenothiazine pharmaceuticals, Promazine (PRO), Promethazine (PRM), Chlorpromazine (CPR), and Thioridazine (THI) as single and as components of the resulting mixtures obtained from their treatment by Fenton process. The Fenton process was carried out at pH7 and by using 0.5-2mgL^-1 of [Fe²⁺]₀ and 1-12.5mgL^-1 of [H₂O₂]₀ at the fixed ratio [Fe²⁺]₀:[H₂O₂]₀ of 1:10 (w:w). No complete mineralization was achieved. Constitutional isomers and some metabolite-like TPs formed were suggested based on their UHPLC-HRMSⁿ data. A degradation pathway was proposed considering interconnected mechanisms such as sulfoxidation, hydroxylation, N-dealkylation, and dechlorination steps. Aerobic biodegradation tests (OECD 301 D and OECD 301 F) were applied to the parent compounds separately, to the mixture of parent compounds, and for the cocktail of TPs present after the treatment by Fenton process. The samples were not readily biodegradable. However, LC-MS analysis revealed that abiotic transformations, such hydrolysis, and autocatalytic transformations occurred. The initial ecotoxicity tested towards Vibrio fischeri as individual compounds featured a reduction in toxicity of PRM and CPR by the treatment process, whereas PRO showed an increase in acute luminescence inhibition and THI a stable luminescence inhibition. Concerning effects of the mixture components, reduction in toxicity by the Fenton process was predicted by concentration addition and independent action models.

Determination of cytostatic drugs in Besòs River (NE Spain) and comparison with predicted environmental concentrations

The number of cytostatic drugs used in cancer treatments is wide and increases every year; therefore, tools have been developed to predict their concentration in the environment to prioritize those for monitoring studies. In the present study, the predicted environmental concentrations (PECs) were calculated according to consumption data in Catalonia (NE Spain) for 2014. According to PECs and to the most widely reported compounds, 19 cytostatics were monitored in two sampling campaigns performed along the Besòs River. A total of seven drugs were detected at levels between 0.5 and 656 ng L^-1. PEC and measured environmental concentrations (MECs) were compared in order to validate PECs. The PEC/MEC ratio presented a good agreement between predicted and measured concentrations confirming the PEC estimations. Mycophenolic acid, prioritized as the compound with the highest PEC, was detected at the highest concentrations (8.5-656 ng L^-1) but showed no risk for aquatic organisms (risk quotient <1) considering acute toxicity tests performed in Daphnia magna.