Detection and quantification of residues and metabolites of medicinal products in environmental compartments, food commodities and workplaces. A review.

The toxicological assessment of medicinal products (MPs) and their residues and metabolites in the environment have become a challenging task worldwide. The contamination of environmental compartments, biota, workplace, foodstuff and feedstuff by residues and metabolites of these substances poses a risk to human health which is still far from being fully understood. On the other hand, existing analytical methods not always possess sufficient detection power to quantify residues of MPs at very low concentrations.

Bioaccumulation and biomagnification potential of pharmaceuticals with a focus to the aquatic environment.

Pharmaceuticals, among the emerging contaminants, are one of the most relevant groups of substances in aquatic ecosystems due to universal use, their chemico-physical properties and known mode of action in aquatic organisms at low concentrations. After administration many drugs and their transformation products are only retained to some extent in wastewater treatment plants therefore entering the aquatic environment in considerable high amounts. The yearly consumption to treat human and animal diseases, also in livestock and aquaculture was estimated to be hundred thousands tons per year leading to high concentrations in surface water of developed countries.

[A pilot study for the assessment of pharmaceuticals as water contaminants].

Pharmaceuticals and their metabolites can reach water bodies through sewage systems, industrial discharges, effluents from sewage treatment facilities, aquaculture and livestock farming. Pharmaceuticals include a huge number of substances which are very different as regards their chemical and physical properties and environmental behaviour, although they many have a potent biochemical activity. At present, pharmaceuticals can reach levels of ng-microg l(-1) and some are considered ubiquitous.