Kay, P, Hughes, SR, Ault, JR orcid.org/0000-0002-5131-438X et al. (2 more authors) (2017) Widespread, routine occurrence of pharmaceuticals in sewage effluent, combined sewer overflows and receiving waters. Environmental Pollution, 220 (Part B). pp. 1447-1455. ISSN 0269-7491
Abstract
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-1 range 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.
Metadata
Item Type: | Article |
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Authors/Creators: |
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Copyright, Publisher and Additional Information: | © 2017 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd. This is an open access article under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC-BY). |
Keywords: | Pharmaceuticals, water quality, effluent, pollution, emerging contaminants |
Dates: |
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Institution: | The University of Leeds |
Academic Units: | The University of Leeds > Faculty of Biological Sciences (Leeds) > School of Molecular and Cellular Biology (Leeds) > Biomolecular Mass Spectroscopy (Leeds) The University of Leeds > Faculty of Environment (Leeds) > School of Geography (Leeds) > River Basin Processes & Management (Leeds) |
Depositing User: | Symplectic Publications |
Date Deposited: | 04 Nov 2016 10:26 |
Last Modified: | 16 Apr 2019 16:08 |
Published Version: | https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envpol.2016.10.087 |
Status: | Published |
Publisher: | Elsevier |
Identification Number: | 10.1016/j.envpol.2016.10.087 |
Open Archives Initiative ID (OAI ID): | oai:eprints.whiterose.ac.uk:106956 |