Publication Abstract

The occurrence of selected pharmaceuticals in wastewater effluent and surface waters of the lower Tyne catchment

P.H. Roberts and K.V. Thomas

Presented in this paper, are the results of a survey of the wastewater effluent and surface waters of the lower river Tyne. Samples were analysed using reversed phase-high performance liquid chromatography-electrospray tandem mass spectrometry (HPLC-ESI-MS/MS) following solid phase extraction (SPE), for the presence of thirteen pharmaceuticals selected from the priority lists of the UK Environment Agency and the Oslo and Paris Commission (OSPAR). The pharmaceutical compounds measured were acetyl-sulfamethoxazole, clofibric acid, clotrimazole, dextropropoxyphene, diclofenac, erythromycin, ibuprofen, mefenamic acid, paracetamol, propranolol, sulfamethoxazole, tamoxifen and trimethoprim. Of the wastewater effluent samples analysed, all compounds except sulfamethoxazole and acetyl-sulfamethoxazole were detected, at concentrations ranging from 0.011-69.6 µg l^-1 (in untreated wastewater). In the surface water samples, only clotrimazole, dextropropoxyphene, erythromycin, ibuprofen, propranolol, tamoxifen and trimethoprim were detected, at concentrations ranging from 0.004-2.37 µg l^-1. All other compounds were below the limits of detection of the method used. Results of this study show that various pharmaceutical compounds are effectively removed or reduced during their passage through wastewater treatment works, whilst others are sufficiently persistent to occur in estuarine systems.

Reference:

P.H. Roberts and K.V. Thomas (2006) The occurrence of selected pharmaceuticals in wastewater effluent and surface waters of the lower Tyne catchment.. Science of the Total Environment, 356: 143-153