Water treatment plants and pharmaceutical residues in Catalonia and Italy

Authors

  • Mira Petrovic 1. Catalan Institute for Water Research (ICRA), Technological Park of the University of Girona, Girona, Catalonia. 2. Institució Catalana de Recerca i Estudis Avançats (ICREA), Barcelona, Catalonia.
  • Paola Verlicchi Department of Engineering University of Ferrara

Keywords:

pharmaceutical residues, surface water, wastewater, water treatment plants

Abstract

This study analyses the occurrence of commonly administered pharmaceuticals in urban and treated wastewater and surface waters in Catalonia and Italy, reviewing recently published investigations. The reported removal efficiencies in common municipal wastewater treatment plants are also discussed and the pharmaceutical load discharged after these treatments are analysed. Finally, the environmental risk posed by the presence of some of these compounds in surface water is discussed, and a case study highlighting the issue of pharmaceutical residues in the environment is presented. [Contrib Sci 10:135-150 (2014)]

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