Similarly, concentrations of ibuprofen between 54.4 and 62.3 ng/L were found in
the Qiantang River in southeastern China by means of LC-MS/MS [41].
Na et al. [21] using LC-MS examined the distribution of various drugs in surface
waters collected from 7 main streams and 11 tributaries of the Yeongsan River in
South Korea, finding average concentrations of naproxen of 0.0516 and 0.0447 μg/L
of acetylsalicylic acid.
In Western Ukraine, also using the LC-MS technique, a study was carried out in
waters of neighboring European Union transboundary rivers, finding diclofenac
Table 2 Maximum concentrations of NSAIDs in surface waters of rivers reported in concentrations within the range of micrograms per liter (μg/L)
NSAID
measured
Maximum level reported
(μg/L)
River and site
References
Acetaminophen
32.4
Kabul and Indo River, Pakistan [17]
Acetylsalicylic
acid
91.3
Msunduzi River, South Africa
[18]
14.74
Shijing River, China
[19]
6.7
Pearl River, China
[20]
1.17
Yeongsan River, South Korea
[21]
0.52
Rivers of the Doñana National
Park, Spain
[22]
Diclofenac
243
Danube River, Europe
[7]
100.8
Msunduzi River, South Africa
[18]
8.5
Karachi River, Pakistan
[23]
2.19
Yamuna River, India
[24]
0.16
Kabul and Indo River, Pakistan [17]
0.09
Rivers of the Doñana National
Park, Spain
[22]
Ibuprofen
165
Danube River, Europe
[7]
92.8
Msunduzi River, South Africa
[18]
11.4
Mbokodweni, South Africa
[25]
1.21
Rivers of the Doñana National
Park, Spain
[22]
1.09
Yamuna River, India
[24]
0.8
Furong Lage, China
[26]
0.21
Kabul and Indo River, Pakistan [17]
Ketoprofen
192
Danube River, Europe
[7]
102.7
Msunduzi River, South Africa
[18]
0.20
Rivers of the Doñana National
Park, Spain
[22]
Mefenamic acid 0.94
Furong Lake, China
[26]
Naproxen
166
Danube River, Europe
[7]
0.68
Mbokodweni, South Africa
[25]
0.64
Rivers of the Doñana National
Park, Spain
[22]
0.53
Yeongsan River, South Korea
[21]
62
L. I. Castro-Pastrana et al.