Characterization, Source and Risk of Pharmaceutically Active Compounds (PhACs) in the Snow Deposition Near Jiaozhou Bay, North China

Pharmaceutically active compounds (PhACs) in surface sediments of the Jiaozhou Bay, north China

Pharmaceutically active compounds (PhACs) have attracted increasing attention due to their large consumption volumes, high bioactivity and potential ecotoxicity. In this study, a total of 150 commonly used drugs were investigated in sediments of Jiaozhou Bay (JZB). Twenty-five target compounds were detected, of which ten were discovered for the first time in marine sediments. The range of total PhAC content was 3.62-21.4 ng/g dry weight. Ketoprofen (2.49 ng/g), oxytetracycline (1.00 ng/g) and roxithromycin (0.97 ng/g) were the preponderant PhACs. PhACs gradually decreased from east to west, and the distribution of PhACs in the sediment was controlled by the source channel, seawater dynamic process and sediment composition. The diatom, organic matter, and clay proportions in the sediments and the nutrients in the overlying water were the most important environmental factors affecting the distribution of PhACs. PhAC pollution in the sediments of the JZB exhibited an increasing trend. Coprostanol could be used as a chemical indicator of the PhAC concentration in JZB sediments. PhACs were mainly derived from direct pollution due to human fecal excretion in the eastern region. Ofloxacin, tetracycline and oxytetracycline were found to pose high or medium risks to aquatic organisms. It is necessary and urgent to improve the treatment technology of drug residues in sewage treatment plants to decrease the pollution of PhAC residues. With the continuous aging of the global population, the use of PhACs will increase rapidly, which may cause more unpredictable threats to the marine ecosystem. Therefore, the monitoring of PhACs in the marine environment needs to be strengthened, and studies on PhAC occurrence and effects must be considered a priority in global environmental research.

Biogeochemical characteristics and ecological risk assessment of pharmaceutically active compounds (PhACs) in the surface seawaters of Jiaozhou Bay, North China

The occurrence and distribution of 168 pharmaceutically active compounds (PhACs) in the surface seawater of Jiaozhou Bay (JZB) were investigated using ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography in tandem with a triple-quadrupole mass spectrometer equipped with an electrospray ionization source (UHPLC-ESI-MS-MS). Thirty-six compounds were detected, and 17 of these compounds were first detected in seawater, including sulfabenzamide, sulphacetamide, cephalonium, desacetyl-cefotaxime, cefminox, cefotaxime, cephradine, cefazolin, carprofen, nabumetone, glibenclamide, glimepiride, glipizide, prednisone, fluoromethalone, diazepam and amantadine. The total concentration of PhACs in the surface seawater ranged from 23.6 ng/L to 217 ng/L. The compounds found at the highest mean concentrations included amantadine (24.7 ng/L), lincomycin (8.55 ng/L), carprofen (8.30 ng/L), and tetracycline (7.48 ng/L). The PhAC concentration was higher in the inner bay than in the outside of the bay. In the inner bay, the eastern district showed higher concentrations of PhACs than the western district. Input from the Licun River may be the primary source of pollution. A statistically significant positive correlation was observed between nutrients and PhACs in seawater. Phosphate can be used to indicate the distribution of PhACs in JZB. Based on the individual risk quotient (RQ) values, lincomycin and ofloxacin posed high risks to the relevant aquatic organisms in JZB, especially in the eastern parts. Regular monitoring is required to evaluate the levels of PhACs as they are constantly released into JZB.