Emerging pollutants: pharmaceuticals in the environment

The study of emerging pollutants, like pharmaceutical compounds, has become a concern in current environmental research. Pharmaceuticals are used in large quantities and variety. An important fraction after their intake is excreted by persons, via urine and feces, continuously entering into aquatic systems through sewage discharges. Most treatments are inefficient for their complete elimination. The profile of composition and found levels of concentration vary depending on the country and consumption profiles. Lethal effects suggest a low ecotoxicological risk, though when chronic and sublethal effects are taken into account the relevance of this type of pollution becomes of concern. Aquatic organisms are exposed to low concentrations continuously along the life cycle. Associated adverse effects have been detected (e.g.: effects on growth and reproduction, morphological alterations, genotoxicity, among others). Although these type of effects may still not imply an immediate risk to human, some pharmaceuticals are being incorporated into listings of drinking water quality standards. The present study aims to analyze results analysis of pharmaceuticals found in sewage discharges in the country, report prevalence, comparing them with data from other parts of the world. Sewer samples (raw or primary treatment) were collected in the outflow points of discharge of the Río de la Plata estuary and Pampean lakes. Chemical analyses were done by SPE-HPLC/DAD/Ms. The compounds found being more prevalent were: caffeine, ibuprofen, atenolol, carbamazepine and diclofenac. Results encourage the investigation on this type of emergent pollutants, and contribute with relevant information for developments of alternative technologies of water treatment, towards having an adequate quality for the protection of human health and aquatic organisms.El estudio de contaminantes emergentes, entre ellos los compuestos farmacéuticos, se ha convertido en una de las mayores inquietudes en investigaciones ambientales actuales. Los fármacos son utilizados en grandes cantidades y variedad. Una importante fracción luego de su ingesta se excreta por el individuo, a través de orina y heces, ingresando de manera continua a aguas residuales. Los tratamientos de depuración resultan ineficientes para su completa eliminación. El perfil de composición y niveles de concentración encontrados varían dependiendo del país y consumo. Los efectos letales sugieren un bajo riesgo ecotoxicológico, aunque al considerarse efectos subletales y crónicos esta situación es diferente. Los organismos acuáticos resultan expuestos a bajas concentraciones de forma continua durante el ciclo de vida, observándose efectos adversos asociados (ej.: sobre crecimiento y reproducción, alteraciones morfológicas, genotoxicidad, entre otros). Si bien aún no suponen un riesgo inmediato para humanos, están siendo incorporados a listados en estándares de calidad de agua de bebida. El objetivo del presente trabajo es analizar resultados obtenidos en monitoreos de descargas cloacales del país, determinar compuestos prevalentes y comparar con datos de otras partes del mundo. Se colectaron muestras de vertidos cloacales (crudos o con tratamiento primario) en descargas sobre el estuario del Río de la Plata y lagunas pampeanas. Las determinaciones se realizaron por SPE-HPLC/DAD/MS. Los compuestos más prevalentes fueron: cafeína, ibuprofeno, atenolol, carbamazepina, atenolol. Se concluye que es necesario incrementar el conocimiento sobre esta nueva generación de contaminantes, para proponer los mecanismos de tratamiento del agua, con el fin de garantizar una calidad idónea y sin efectos para la salud humana y los organismos acuáticos.Asociación de Universidades Grupo Montevide

In situ evaluation of the toxicological impact of a wastewater effluent on the fish Prochilodus lineatus: biochemical and histological assessment

Sewage effluents are the most important source of emergent pollutants in the aquatic environment. In thepresent study the toxicological impact of an untreated sewage effluent on the Prochilodus lineatus fish was assessedunder field conditions using a caging experiment. The biomarkers which were measured here involvedoxidative stress markers, hepatic function parameters, neurotoxicity indicators, energy reserves, histologicalalterations and brain cell proliferation. In addition, water quality parameters including the occurrence of somehuman pharmaceuticals were measured. Juveniles of P. lineatus were caged for 15 days at three sites: the effluentsite, and 2 km upstream and downstream from the effluent discharge. Caffeine, atenolol, carbamazepine, enalapriland sildenafil were detected in water river samples. The increased activation of caspase-3 and the decreasedcell proliferation in the diencephalon showed that the brain of fish caged at the effluent was affected.These fish also displayed a rise in hepatic transaminase activity, and oxidative stress in liver and gills which wasevidenced by an increased lipid peroxidation and activation of antioxidant enzymes. At tissue level, increasedglycogen and decreased lipid contents in liver as well as the highest indexes of hepatic lesions were also observedin the fish caged at the effluent. Both biochemical and histopathological findings demonstrated that effects weremore severe on the liver of such fish than on their gills. The in situ exposure method carried out in our studymakes it possible to observe the real effects of the sewage effluent on fish. Furthermore, our results also provide abetter understanding of the harmful effects of wastewater effluents on the aquatic wildlife.Fil: Pérez, María Rita. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Santa Fe. Instituto Nacional de Limnología. Universidad Nacional del Litoral. Instituto Nacional de Limnología; ArgentinaFil: Rossi, Andrea Silvana. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Santa Fe. Instituto Nacional de Limnología. Universidad Nacional del Litoral. Instituto Nacional de Limnología; ArgentinaFil: Bacchetta, Carla. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Santa Fe. Instituto Nacional de Limnología. Universidad Nacional del Litoral. Instituto Nacional de Limnología; ArgentinaFil: Elorriaga, Yanina. Universidad Nacional de La Plata; ArgentinaFil: Carriquiriborde, Pedro. Universidad Nacional de La Plata; ArgentinaFil: Cazenave, Jimena. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Santa Fe. Instituto Nacional de Limnología. Universidad Nacional del Litoral. Instituto Nacional de Limnología; Argentin

Screening of pharmaceuticals in surface water bodies of the Pampas region of Argentina

Pharmaceuticals have been included among emerging pollutants due to their continuous input in aquatic environments by wastewater discharges. The aim of the present study was detecting and analysing concentration levels of five commonly used pharmaceuticals in surface water bodies of the Pampas Region of Argentina. Analyses were done on the soluble fraction by Liquid Chromatography with Mass Spectrometry (HPLC-MS) after Solid-Phase Extraction (SPE) extraction. Results show the presence of pharmaceuticals in 10 out of 11 sampling sites, detecting higher concentrations in sites closer to wastewater discharges. Compounds more commonly found and at higher concentrations were caffeine and ibuprofen, with maximum detected levels of 13.32 and 9.66 μg/L, respectively. Highest detected concentrations of carbamazepine and atenolol were 0.63 and 0.55 μg/L, respectively. The compound less frequently detected and at lower levels of concentration was diclofenac.Fil: Elorriaga, Yanina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - La Plata; Argentina. Universidad Nacional de La Plata. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas. Departamento de Química. Centro de Investigaciones del Medio Ambiente; ArgentinaFil: Marino, Damian Jose Gabriel. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - La Plata; Argentina. Universidad Nacional de La Plata. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas. Departamento de Química. Centro de Investigaciones del Medio Ambiente; ArgentinaFil: Carriquiriborde, Pedro. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - La Plata; Argentina. Universidad Nacional de La Plata. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas. Departamento de Química. Centro de Investigaciones del Medio Ambiente; ArgentinaFil: Ronco, Alicia Estela. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - La Plata; Argentina. Universidad Nacional de La Plata. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas. Departamento de Química. Centro de Investigaciones del Medio Ambiente; Argentin

Human Pharmaceuticals in Wastewaters from Urbanized Areas of Argentina

The study contributes with a first survey of pharmaceuticals in municipal wastewaters discharging into fresh and estuarine waters from areas with varying degrees of urbanization of Argentina. Analyses were done on the soluble fraction by HPLC–MS after SPE extraction. In all of the samples were detected caffeine and ibuprofen within the range of 0.9–44.2 and 0.4–13.0 μg/L, and lower levels of carbamazepine, atenolol and diclofenac between 0.2–2.3, 0.2–1.7 and <0.03–1.2 μg/L, respectively. Profiles of compounds were similar in all studied locations.Fil: Carriquiriborde, Pedro. Universidad Nacional de la Plata. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas. Departamento de Química. Centro de Investigaciones del Medio Ambiente; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Cientifico Tecnológico La Plata; ArgentinaFil: Ronco, Alicia Estela. Universidad Nacional de la Plata. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas. Departamento de Química. Centro de Investigaciones del Medio Ambiente; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Cientifico Tecnológico La Plata; ArgentinaFil: Elorriaga, Yanina. Universidad Nacional de la Plata. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas. Departamento de Química. Centro de Investigaciones del Medio Ambiente; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Cientifico Tecnológico La Plata; ArgentinaFil: Marino, Damian Jose Gabriel. Universidad Nacional de la Plata. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas. Departamento de Química. Centro de Investigaciones del Medio Ambiente; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Cientifico Tecnológico La Plata; Argentin

Human Pharmaceuticals in Wastewaters from Urbanized Areas of Argentina

The study contributes with a first survey of pharmaceuticals in municipal wastewaters discharging into fresh and estuarine waters from areas with varying degrees of urbanization of Argentina. Analyses were done on the soluble fraction by HPLC–MS after SPE extraction. In all of the samples were detected caffeine and ibuprofen within the range of 0.9–44.2 and 0.4–13.0 μg/L, and lower levels of carbamazepine, atenolol and diclofenac between 0.2–2.3, 0.2–1.7 and <0.03–1.2 μg/L, respectively. Profiles of compounds were similar in all studied locations.Centro de Investigaciones del Medioambient