Late season pharmaceutical fate in wetland mesocosms with and without phosphorous addition.

Abstract

The fate of six human-use drugs was assessed and predicted in mesocosms designed to mimic shallow constructed wetlands during the onset of fall and senescence. Mesocosms were monitored for 28days after the addition of carbamazepine, clofibric acid, fluoxetine and naproxen (nominal initial concentrations of 5μg/L each), sulfamethoxazole, and sulfapyridine (nominal initial concentrations of 150μg/L each), with and without phosphorous (P) addition at 1.6mg/L. We hypothesized that addition of P would stimulate primary productivity and enhance removal of pharmaceuticals from the water column. Carbamazepine, clofibric acid, fluoxetine, and naproxen had half-lives of 8.7, 11, 1.5, and 2.5, and 8.6, 11.0, 1.4, and 2.5days in treatments with and without P amendment, respectively. Sulfamethoxazole and sulfapyridine had half-lives of 17 and 4.9days in mesocosms with P amendment and 17 and 4.7days without amendment. A concurrent pulse of P with pharmaceuticals did not significantly enhance the removal of these compounds. Predicted half-lives from modeling efforts were consistent with observed values, with photolysis the greatest contributor to chemical attenuation.