Determination of pharmaceuticals and heavy metals in groundwater for human and animal consumption and crop irrigation in Galicia.

Pharmaceuticals and heavy metals are contaminants present in groundwaters, which are the main source of drinking water in most parts of the world. In the northwest region of Spain, Galicia, groundwater harvesting is a common practice for drinking water supply, crop irrigation, cattle watering, as well as recreational use such as filling pools. In order to assess the quality of Galician groundwaters, the presence of 21 pharmaceuticals and 10 heavy metals was analysed by UPLC-MS/MS and ICP/MS methods, respectively, in a total of 118 groundwater samples from private wells.