Occurrence of pharmaceuticals in river water and their elimination in a pilot-scale drinking water treatment plant.

The occurrence of four beta blockers, one antiepileptic drug, one lipid regulator, four anti-inflammatories, and three fluoroquinolones was studied in a river receiving sewage effluents. All compounds but two of the fluoroquinolones were observed in the water above their limit of quantification concentrations. The highest concentrations (up to 107 ng L(-1)) of the compounds were measured during the winter months.

Analysis of neutral and basic pharmaceuticals in sewage treatment plants and in recipient rivers using solid phase extraction and liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry detection.

Analytical method was developed which allowed for the detection of four beta blockers (acebutolol, atenolol, metoprolol and sotalol), an antiepileptic drug (carbamazepine) and three fluoroquinolone antibiotics (ciprofloxacin, ofloxacin and norfloxacin) with a single pre-treatment and chromatographic method. The method included an isolation and concentration procedure using solid phase extraction, a separation step using high performance liquid chromatography and a detection procedure applying triple quadrupole mass spectrometry, which was working in the multiple reaction monitoring mode. The method was validated for ground, surface and sewage influent and effluent waters.

Seasonal variation in the occurrence of pharmaceuticals in effluents from a sewage treatment plant and in the recipient water.

The occurrence of five pharmaceuticals (ibuprofen, naproxen, ketoprofen, diclofenac, and bezafibrate) in the influent and effluent water of a sewage treatment plant (STP) in the recipient river water and in a drinking water treatment plant (DWTP) located downstream from the STP was followed during three seasons: winter, spring, and summer. In the STP, the elimination of the pharmaceuticals decreased significantly (an average of 25% compared to spring and summer) in wintertime leading to increased concentrations of pharmaceuticals in the effluent water. The total concentration of all the studied pharmaceuticals in the effluent water was 3-5 times higher in wintertime (about 2500 ng L(-1)) than during the other seasons (about 500-900 ng L(-1)).