Consumption and fate of cytostatic drugs in the aquatic environment

Authors

  • Helena Franquet-Griell Institut de Diagnosi Ambiental i Estudis de l’Aigua (IDAEA-CSIC). Departament de Química Ambiental
  • Francesc Ventura Institut de Diagnosi Ambiental i Estudis de l’Aigua (IDAEA-CSIC). Departament de Química Ambiental
  • Sílvia Lacorte Institut de Diagnosi Ambiental i Estudis de l’Aigua (IDAEA-CSIC). Departament de Química Ambiental

Keywords:

Drugs, cytostatics, PEC, WWTP, river.

Abstract

Cytostatic drugs used in cancer treatments have a consumption of 5 tons per year in Catalonia. Due to their low biodegradability, most of them are not removed in wastewater treatment plants (WWTP) and reach the aquatic environment. The aim of this study is to calculate the predicted concentrations (PECs) to prioritize cytostatic drugs according to their consumption, excretion and degradability, and considering this prediction, to evaluate their presence in the aquatic environment. In wastewaters, concentrations between 16 and 2 539 ng · L−1 were detected, and in the Besòs River the levels were between 0.5 and 656 ng · L−1. Mycophenolic acid is the drug with the highest PEC and it was detected at the highest concentrations in both WWTP and the river.

Keywords: Drugs, cytostatics, PEC, WWTP, river.

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Issue

No. 15 (2016)

Section

Articles

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