Since 2010, research on the occurrence of NSAIDs in environmental water
reservoirs has been continuous and consistent. However, the analysis of river waters
is much more abundant than those of seas, groundwater, or drinking water. Fortunately in recent years, research has focused on the development of more sensitive but
at the same time simpler methods for the detection of NSAIDs in water bodies.
Moreover, during the article screening process, we found that in recent years,
publications related to toxicity studies in diverse model organisms have increased.
Concentrating the information available to date on the quantities of NSAIDs
found in different aquatic ecosystems, through different methods of extraction and
analysis, is very useful to direct future research, to design more efficient strategies to
minimize the ecological impact of these water pollutants, and to develop evidencebased regulation.
Keywords Anti-inflammatory agents, Drinking water, Fresh water, Groundwater,
Nonsteroidal, Saline waters, Water pollutants
1 Introduction
The Earth’s surface is 70% covered with water, of which 97.5% is considered salt
water and the remaining 2.5% as fresh water. Frozen water represents 69.7% of fresh
water, groundwater represents 30%, and in rivers and lakes, we only find 0.3% of
fresh water [1].
Among the most prescribed pharmaceutical products used by both humans and
veterinary medicine are nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs).
Although it is well-known that pharmaceutical products have been present in the
aquatic environment for 30 years [2, 3], it was not until the last half of the 1990s that
their presence began to arouse widespread concern in the scientific community.
The consumption of NSAIDs is increasing, and with it the danger of environmental pollution. Its widespread consumption has caused us to find these drugs in the
environment, especially in aquatic compartments, including large and small river
systems such as rivers, lakes, and lagoons, which has generated a growing international concern [4–6].
The migration of these pharmaceutical products is promoted by riverbank filtration, artificial groundwater recharge, or natural groundwater flow, among other
processes [7, 8]. In addition, these emerging pollutants can end up in the aquatic
ecosystems due to an incomplete process of elimination during wastewater
treatment [9].
Traditionally, water quality control has focused on the elimination of conventional priority pollutants, especially those considered as persistent, toxic, or
bioaccumulative, but in recent years interest in the appearance of pharmaceutical
56
L. I. Castro-Pastrana et al.
reservoirs has been continuous and consistent. However, the analysis of river waters
is much more abundant than those of seas, groundwater, or drinking water. Fortunately in recent years, research has focused on the development of more sensitive but
at the same time simpler methods for the detection of NSAIDs in water bodies.
Moreover, during the article screening process, we found that in recent years,
publications related to toxicity studies in diverse model organisms have increased.
Concentrating the information available to date on the quantities of NSAIDs
found in different aquatic ecosystems, through different methods of extraction and
analysis, is very useful to direct future research, to design more efficient strategies to
minimize the ecological impact of these water pollutants, and to develop evidencebased regulation.
Keywords Anti-inflammatory agents, Drinking water, Fresh water, Groundwater,
Nonsteroidal, Saline waters, Water pollutants
1 Introduction
The Earth’s surface is 70% covered with water, of which 97.5% is considered salt
water and the remaining 2.5% as fresh water. Frozen water represents 69.7% of fresh
water, groundwater represents 30%, and in rivers and lakes, we only find 0.3% of
fresh water [1].
Among the most prescribed pharmaceutical products used by both humans and
veterinary medicine are nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs).
Although it is well-known that pharmaceutical products have been present in the
aquatic environment for 30 years [2, 3], it was not until the last half of the 1990s that
their presence began to arouse widespread concern in the scientific community.
The consumption of NSAIDs is increasing, and with it the danger of environmental pollution. Its widespread consumption has caused us to find these drugs in the
environment, especially in aquatic compartments, including large and small river
systems such as rivers, lakes, and lagoons, which has generated a growing international concern [4–6].
The migration of these pharmaceutical products is promoted by riverbank filtration, artificial groundwater recharge, or natural groundwater flow, among other
processes [7, 8]. In addition, these emerging pollutants can end up in the aquatic
ecosystems due to an incomplete process of elimination during wastewater
treatment [9].
Traditionally, water quality control has focused on the elimination of conventional priority pollutants, especially those considered as persistent, toxic, or
bioaccumulative, but in recent years interest in the appearance of pharmaceutical
56
L. I. Castro-Pastrana et al.