Occurrence of neutral and acidic drugs in the effluents of Canadian sewage treatment plants
Citations Over TimeTop 1% of 2003 papers
Abstract
Samples of influent (untreated) and effluent (treated) from 18 sewage treatment plants (STPs) in 14 municipalities in Canada were analyzed for residues of selected prescription and nonprescription drugs. Several neutral and acidic drugs were detected in effluents, including analgesic/anti-inflammatory agents, lipid regulators, and an antiepileptic drug, carbamazepine. Residues were extracted from effluents by solid-phase extraction, followed by either methylation and analysis of acidic drugs by gas chromatography/mass spectrometry or direct analysis of neutral drugs by liquid chromatography/tandem mass spectrometry. Analgesic/anti-inflammatory drugs such as ibuprofen and naproxen, as well as the metabolite of acetylsalicyclic acid, salicylic acid, were often detected in final effluents at microg/L concentrations. The acidic lipid regulator, clofibric acid, and the analgesic/anti-inflammatory drug diclofenac were not detected in any final effluent samples, which is not consistent with data from Europe. The precursor to clofibric acid, clofibrate, is not widely prescribed as a lipid regulator in Canada. However, the lipid regulators bezafibrate and gemfibrozil were detected in some samples of influent and effluent. The chemotherapy drugs ifosfamide and cyclophosphamide and the anti-inflammatory phenazone were not detected in influent or effluent samples, but the vasodilator drug pentoxyfylline was detected at ng/L concentrations in some final effluents. The widespread occurrence of carbamazepine at concentrations as high as 2.3 microg/L may be explained by use of this drug for other therapeutic purposes besides treatment of epilepsy and its resistance to elimination in STPs. The rates of elimination of ibuprofen and naproxen appeared to be elevated in STPs with hydraulic retention times for sewage greater than 12 h.
Related Papers
- → Effects of lipid-lowering pharmaceuticals bezafibrate and clofibric acid on lipid metabolism in fathead minnow (Pimephales promelas)(2009)45 cited
- → Induction of 1-Acylglycerophosphocholine Acyltransferase Genes by Fibrates in the Liver of Rats(2012)12 cited
- → Bezafibrate as differentiating factor of human myeloid leukemia cells(1999)32 cited
- → Bezafibrate and clofibric acid are novel inhibitors of phosphatidylcholine synthesis via the methylation of phosphatidylethanolamine(1996)26 cited
- → Hepatic induction potency of hypolipidaemic drugs in the rat following long-term administration: influence of different dosing regimens(1990)9 cited