metabolization by plants [105, 118]. As mentioned before, the fast biotransformation
of some pharmaceuticals should not be neglected to not underestimate BCFs and TFs
of the parent compound.
3.2.2 Anionic Compounds
Among the anionic compounds, antibiotics are represented by the largest group of
studied substances in both hydroponic and soil experiments. Within antibiotics, the
sulfonamides (SAs), i.e. sulfadiazine, sulfamerazine, sulfamethazine, sulfamethoxazole and sulfapyridine, display the largest group. They are widely used for the
control of infectious diseases, in both human and livestock care, and due to their
stability – with a half-life over 81 days [105] – they are ubiquitously present in
wastewaters. Therefore, SAs receive a special attention by the researchers since they
are prone to increase the resistance of pathogenic bacteria and boost the spread of
antibiotic resistance, hostile to aquatic environments and human health. According
to Wang and co-authors [142], the uptake process of these molecules might be
Table 4 Chemical properties of anionic pharmaceuticals, as well as the average BCFs and TFs
calculated per compound in soil studies
Compounds
log
K OW
pH
pKa
log
D OW
BCF TF
Authors
Average values
Antibacterial
Triclosan
4.76 7.05 À0.11
5.33 1.09 1.06
[103, 116, 121, 124,
125, 129]
Antibiotic
Amoxicillin
0.87 7.01 À0.40 À2.05 0.00 na
[132]
Oxytetracycline
À0.90 7.50 À0.91 À6.64 0.00 0.58
[102]
Sulfadiazine
À0.09 7.50 À0.98
1.02 0.65 1.72
[102, 136]
Sulfamethoxazole
0.89 7.68 À0.03 À0.06 0.27 0.77
[11, 102, 123]
Tetracycline
À1.30 7.28 À0.66 À5.59 0.00 na
[132]
Trimethoprim
0.91 8.10 À0.44
0.67 0.00 5.38
[102]
Anti-inflammatory
Diclofenac
4.51 6.25 À0.98
2.13 2.02 2.43
[125, 126]
Ibuprofen
3.97 7.42 À0.97
2.08 2.51 1.38
[126, 127]
Naproxen
3.18 na
À0.95
1.86 0.24 0.51
[126]
Blood pressure
Furosemide
2.03 7.42 À1.00
0.73 1.27 nd in
leaves
[127]
Lipid regulator
Clofibric acid
3.32 7.42 À1.00
1.20 1.11 0.04
[127]
Psychotropic drug
Diazepam
2.82 6.30 À0.99
4.73 0.03 3.13
[130]
Symbols: na, means not available; nd, means not detected
Uptake and Translocation of Pharmaceuticals in Plants:. . .
123
of some pharmaceuticals should not be neglected to not underestimate BCFs and TFs
of the parent compound.
3.2.2 Anionic Compounds
Among the anionic compounds, antibiotics are represented by the largest group of
studied substances in both hydroponic and soil experiments. Within antibiotics, the
sulfonamides (SAs), i.e. sulfadiazine, sulfamerazine, sulfamethazine, sulfamethoxazole and sulfapyridine, display the largest group. They are widely used for the
control of infectious diseases, in both human and livestock care, and due to their
stability – with a half-life over 81 days [105] – they are ubiquitously present in
wastewaters. Therefore, SAs receive a special attention by the researchers since they
are prone to increase the resistance of pathogenic bacteria and boost the spread of
antibiotic resistance, hostile to aquatic environments and human health. According
to Wang and co-authors [142], the uptake process of these molecules might be
Table 4 Chemical properties of anionic pharmaceuticals, as well as the average BCFs and TFs
calculated per compound in soil studies
Compounds
log
K OW
pH
pKa
log
D OW
BCF TF
Authors
Average values
Antibacterial
Triclosan
4.76 7.05 À0.11
5.33 1.09 1.06
[103, 116, 121, 124,
125, 129]
Antibiotic
Amoxicillin
0.87 7.01 À0.40 À2.05 0.00 na
[132]
Oxytetracycline
À0.90 7.50 À0.91 À6.64 0.00 0.58
[102]
Sulfadiazine
À0.09 7.50 À0.98
1.02 0.65 1.72
[102, 136]
Sulfamethoxazole
0.89 7.68 À0.03 À0.06 0.27 0.77
[11, 102, 123]
Tetracycline
À1.30 7.28 À0.66 À5.59 0.00 na
[132]
Trimethoprim
0.91 8.10 À0.44
0.67 0.00 5.38
[102]
Anti-inflammatory
Diclofenac
4.51 6.25 À0.98
2.13 2.02 2.43
[125, 126]
Ibuprofen
3.97 7.42 À0.97
2.08 2.51 1.38
[126, 127]
Naproxen
3.18 na
À0.95
1.86 0.24 0.51
[126]
Blood pressure
Furosemide
2.03 7.42 À1.00
0.73 1.27 nd in
leaves
[127]
Lipid regulator
Clofibric acid
3.32 7.42 À1.00
1.20 1.11 0.04
[127]
Psychotropic drug
Diazepam
2.82 6.30 À0.99
4.73 0.03 3.13
[130]
Symbols: na, means not available; nd, means not detected
Uptake and Translocation of Pharmaceuticals in Plants:. . .
123