Abstract
Pharmaceuticals, among the emerging contaminants, are pseudopersistent and recently of serious concern due to universal use, toxicity, and resistance development at low concentrations. This study was aimed at assessing the prevalence and risk of eight pharmaceuticals in surface water used for vegetable irrigation in Ghana’s Kumasi and Sunyani metropolises, which are influenced by hospitals, sewage treatment facilities, and market effluents. Samples were concentrated via solid-phase extraction (SPE) while liquid chromatography was used to identify and quantify the analytes. Ibuprofen, acetaminophen, and diclofenac were the detected analgesics in this study, with concentrations stretching from below detection limit (not detected) to 319.0 ng/L, while amoxicillin, trimethoprim, and cefuroxime were the detected antibiotics with a concentration range of no detection to 840.0 ng/L. Based on the available long-term data, an environmental risk assessment was conducted. Because of the presence of ibuprofen, the lowest trophic level and fish were shown to be at risk. The estimated risk quotient values for antibiotics resistance were above 1 for all the antibiotics investigated in surface water impacted by the wastewater of hospitals and pharmaceutical companies’ except surface water impacted by sewage treatment plants (STPs) and market wastewater. The existence of these pharmaceuticals in surface water does not only point to a general concern for the environment but also a potential health risk on humans and other lives as a result of their impact on drinking water and vegetable production in Ghana.
Highlights
Materials and MethodsIs study of pharmaceuticals was carried out in two cities in Ghana, West Africa (Sunyani and Kumasi), each of which has a rapid city growth and development
Pharmaceuticals, among the emerging contaminants, are pseudopersistent and recently of serious concern due to universal use, toxicity, and resistance development at low concentrations. is study was aimed at assessing the prevalence and risk of eight pharmaceuticals in surface water used for vegetable irrigation in Ghana’s Kumasi and Sunyani metropolises, which are influenced by hospitals, sewage treatment facilities, and market effluents
Because of the presence of ibuprofen, the lowest trophic level and fish were shown to be at risk. e estimated risk quotient values for antibiotics resistance were above 1 for all the antibiotics investigated in surface water impacted by the wastewater of hospitals and pharmaceutical companies’ except surface water impacted by sewage treatment plants (STPs) and market wastewater. e existence of these pharmaceuticals in surface water does point to a general concern for the environment and a potential health risk on humans and other lives as a result of their impact on drinking water and vegetable production in Ghana
Summary
Is study of pharmaceuticals was carried out in two cities in Ghana, West Africa (Sunyani and Kumasi), each of which has a rapid city growth and development. Ese cities were selected because studies have revealed that most wastewater is released to drains that discharge untreated into one of the streams flowing through or originating from Kumasi. In the study city Sunyani, the water samples were collected from Akokora Kwadwo River at a point labeled SP, which receives effluent from the hospitals in the city. E second sampling point, SP2, was from the River Tuasua, which receives wastewater from the main market in the city (Figure 1(a)). E surface water that receives effluent from pharmaceutical production companies was sampled at points KP3, KP4, and KP5. At a flow rate of 1.5 mL/min, 500 mL of water samples was put into SPE columns. Shraim et al [22] presented a technique for analyzing pharmaceutical residues in surface water, which was significantly improved and used in this investigation
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