10 Review on Trends in the Removal of Pharmaceuticals …
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10.2.2 Pharmaceuticals
Recent discovery of pharmaceutical resides in groundwater, agricultural feedstock,
even in packaged drinking water triggered serious concern as pharmaceutical is
known to cause serious health issues to human and aquatic animals. With time pharmaceutical use is increasing. Also, in developing countries like India, people take
medicine without proper prescription. This releases an untold amount of different
pharmaceuticals in the surface and groundwater resources. Thus, it can be said that
these types of pollutants would be the most common pollutants in water resources.
Currently, pharmaceuticals are also used for farming and aquaculture. The pharmaceuticals used for farming and aquaculture are used for initiating specific biological
action. Consequently, its release into the environment could pose potential health
hazards to aquatic life.
Most of the PPCPs are produced such a way that it becomes biologically active
and hydrophilic. Due to these properties, PPCPs are readily absorbed within the
tissues of human and other living being. Often these PPCPs are found to be persistent for avoiding degradation before they start to work (Radjenovic et al. 2007).
Depending on the compound and its properties, parent compounds of PPCPs and/or
their metabolites are often excreted through urine. A literature review performed by
Alcock et al. (1999) gave an excellent indication of fate of pharmaceuticals (Alcock
et al. 1999). They indicated that 30–90% of an administered dose of most antibiotics
is excreted via urine. More importantly, the antibiotics excreted were found to be
active (Alcock et al. 1999). Similarly, Calamari et al. (2003) pointed that more than
90% of administered dose of some antibiotic was found to be excreted as the parent
compound (Calamari et al. 2003). Though PPCPs are known to be released in very low
concentration (mostly in the ng/L to μg/L range), they could initiate potential health
impact, especially when accumulated within human tissue. PPCPs such as steroids
and estrogens are being used in oral contraceptives and have high potency. Upon
release to the environment, these PPCPs could cause biological effects even at very
low concentrations (Calamari et al. 2003). Different types of pharmaceuticals and
their corresponding health effects have been listed in Table 10.4. Structural, chemical,
and toxicity details of different pharmaceuticals have been shown in Table 10.1.
10.3 Fate of Pharmaceuticals and Personal Care Products
There are many reviews where exposure routes of different PPCPs into the aquatic
and soil environment had been discussed widely (Halling-Sorensen et al. 1998; Kummerer 2001; Heberer 2002; Jorgensen and Halling-Sorensen 2000). The environmental risk assessment strategy for PPCPs exposure had also been reviewed and discussed
previously (Daughton and Ternes 1999; Jones et al. 2004; Hernando et al. 2005; Fent
and Weston 2006; Zuccato et al. 2006). Some authors listed the annual quantities of
PPCPs prescribed for different countries (Halling-Sorensen et al. 1998; Jorgensen
235
10.2.2 Pharmaceuticals
Recent discovery of pharmaceutical resides in groundwater, agricultural feedstock,
even in packaged drinking water triggered serious concern as pharmaceutical is
known to cause serious health issues to human and aquatic animals. With time pharmaceutical use is increasing. Also, in developing countries like India, people take
medicine without proper prescription. This releases an untold amount of different
pharmaceuticals in the surface and groundwater resources. Thus, it can be said that
these types of pollutants would be the most common pollutants in water resources.
Currently, pharmaceuticals are also used for farming and aquaculture. The pharmaceuticals used for farming and aquaculture are used for initiating specific biological
action. Consequently, its release into the environment could pose potential health
hazards to aquatic life.
Most of the PPCPs are produced such a way that it becomes biologically active
and hydrophilic. Due to these properties, PPCPs are readily absorbed within the
tissues of human and other living being. Often these PPCPs are found to be persistent for avoiding degradation before they start to work (Radjenovic et al. 2007).
Depending on the compound and its properties, parent compounds of PPCPs and/or
their metabolites are often excreted through urine. A literature review performed by
Alcock et al. (1999) gave an excellent indication of fate of pharmaceuticals (Alcock
et al. 1999). They indicated that 30–90% of an administered dose of most antibiotics
is excreted via urine. More importantly, the antibiotics excreted were found to be
active (Alcock et al. 1999). Similarly, Calamari et al. (2003) pointed that more than
90% of administered dose of some antibiotic was found to be excreted as the parent
compound (Calamari et al. 2003). Though PPCPs are known to be released in very low
concentration (mostly in the ng/L to μg/L range), they could initiate potential health
impact, especially when accumulated within human tissue. PPCPs such as steroids
and estrogens are being used in oral contraceptives and have high potency. Upon
release to the environment, these PPCPs could cause biological effects even at very
low concentrations (Calamari et al. 2003). Different types of pharmaceuticals and
their corresponding health effects have been listed in Table 10.4. Structural, chemical,
and toxicity details of different pharmaceuticals have been shown in Table 10.1.
10.3 Fate of Pharmaceuticals and Personal Care Products
There are many reviews where exposure routes of different PPCPs into the aquatic
and soil environment had been discussed widely (Halling-Sorensen et al. 1998; Kummerer 2001; Heberer 2002; Jorgensen and Halling-Sorensen 2000). The environmental risk assessment strategy for PPCPs exposure had also been reviewed and discussed
previously (Daughton and Ternes 1999; Jones et al. 2004; Hernando et al. 2005; Fent
and Weston 2006; Zuccato et al. 2006). Some authors listed the annual quantities of
PPCPs prescribed for different countries (Halling-Sorensen et al. 1998; Jorgensen