Pharmaceutical Residues Research Articles

Pharmaceutical Residues in Fishes and Macro Invertebrates around the Wastewater Treatment Plant Site at the University Teaching Hospital of Yaoundé, Cameroon

Introduction: Hospital effluents are one of the main sources of dissemination of pharmaceutical residues in hydro system. Worldwide, analyses of these effluents have revealed the presence of various pharmaceuticals. Very few studies assessing the contamination of solid matrices by pharmaceutical residues have been carried out in Africa, specifically in Cameroon. Objectives: The study aimed to detect pharmaceutical residues in solid environmental matrices at sites around the discharge of the effluent from the Yaoundé University Teaching Hospital. Methods: Four hundred and fifty-nine (459) macro invertebrates and twenty (20) Nile tilapia were collected in three sampling sites before and beyond the wastewater treatment plant of the Yaoundé University Teaching Hospital. The specimens were conserved in a cooler prior to freeze drying and grinding. The powders were sent for analysis at the Sefako Makgatho Health Sciences University in South Africa. The analysis was carried out using an ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography coupled with a triple quadrupole tandem mass spectrometer. Results: A total of ninety-nine pharmaceutical residues related to seventeen pharmacological classes were detected in all samples of macro invertebrates (72) and Nile tilapia (55 for fish viscera and 58 for fish flesh) collected. Antibiotics were the most represented (23.2 %), followed by anti-inflammatory (18.2 %), and anti-parasitics (9.1 %). More than half (53.6 %) of the drug residues detected in the fish samples were of the anti-inflammatory (21,71 %), antihypertensive (17,67 %) and antibiotic (13,13 %) classes. The number of drug residues detected in the macroinvertebrates before the treatment plant (41) was smaller than those detected after the treatment plant (67). Conclusion: Five therapeutic classes (antibiotics, anti-inflammatories, antihypertensive, antiparasitics and hormones) were mostly represented.These results are in line with the importance of considering diet of fishes and/or humans as an exposure pathway based on the great similarity in pharmaceutical composition between macroinvertebrates and Nile tilapia.

Pharmaceutical Residues in Sediments of a Coastal Lagoon in Northwest Mexico—Occurrence and Environmental Risk Assessment

Pharmaceutical Residues in Sediments of a Coastal Lagoon in Northwest Mexico—Occurrence and Environmental Risk Assessment

Coupled bio-solar photocatalytic treatment for reclamation of water polluted with pharmaceutical and pesticide residues. Impact on tomato irrigation

Reusing reclaimed water for crop irrigation can mitigate water scarcity in agriculture; however, contaminants such as pharmaceuticals and pesticides in wastewater pose risks. This study investigated the impact of a coupled bio-solar photocatalytic treatment on the reclamation of water polluted with seven pharmaceuticals and seven pesticides for irrigation of two tomato crop cycles. Pollutant residues were removed using natural sunlight and TiO2/Na2S2O8 in a pilot plant located in Murcia, Spain. Efficient removal (> 96%) of all target pollutants was achieved in the effluent after coupled treatment. Reclaimed water was then used to irrigate the tomato crops, and several yield and quality parameters were analysed to evaluate the effects on the harvested tomatoes. No significant differences were observed in the total yield, number and mean fruit weight, size, pericarp firmness, external colour, and nutritional data between the crops irrigated with reclaimed, control, and polluted water. However, differences in the degree of ripeness were observed. None of the investigated pollutants was detected above the limit of quantification in tomato samples irrigated with reclaimed water, except for venlafaxine (0.028µgkg-1) in the second crop cycle. When the crop was irrigated with polluted water, different pollutant residues were detected in soil (10) and tomato (4) samples. The results suggest that coupled bio-solar photocatalytic treatment is an effective method for reclaiming water polluted with pharmaceutical and pesticide residues, and the reclaimed water can be safely used for tomato irrigation without compromising crop yield and quality.

Low pharmaceutical pollution of epibenthic organisms from Admiralty Bay, Antarctica (King George Island, South Shetland Islands)

The presence of medicinal products has been reported in the Antarctic marine environment but still little is known about the bioaccumulation of these compounds. This study was set up to detect and quantify pharmaceutical residues in benthic biota from Admiralty Bay, King George Island (South Shetland Islands, Antarctica). Pharmaceuticals and stimulants were analysed using LC-MS/MS in dominant epibenthic macroorganisms that were collected at eight nearshore sublittoral sites (water depth 3–30 m) by a SCUBA diving team during austral summer (February 2023). Out of 22 analytes, only the stimulant caffeine (CAF) and the antiepileptic carbamazepine (CBZ) have been identified in the macrobenthic algae and invertebrates indicating a relatively low contamination level of the bay. The analytes were detected predominantly in the northern part of the bay (Mackellar Inlet and Martel Inlet) which reflects likely their elevated environmental concentrations in this area and suggests that local research stations represent the main source of pharmaceutical contamination. Irrespective of the sampling site, both compounds were found almost exclusively in brown and red macroalgae highlighting their potential for uptake and accumulation of CAF and CBZ. This study provided the first evidence of the presence of medicinal substances in the Antarctic macrobenthic organisms and can serve as a baseline for environmental risk assessment.

Enhanced sensitivity in tobramycin monitoring using a surfactant-aligned liquid crystal aptasensor with a ternary hybrid aptamer

Determining pharmaceutical residues in foodstuffs is of great importance worldwide. The improper use of tobramycin (TOB) with abroad spectrum antibacterial activity results in its accumulation in the food chain and human body. Given its detrimental effects on human health, the careful surveillance of TOB concentrations is essential to ensure food safety. Presented here is a highly sensitive aptasensing array designed to measure the TOB concentration by disrupting the alignment of liquid crystal (LC) molecules induced by surfactants. For the first time, a ternary hybrid of the aptamer strands was incorporated onto the surfactant-designed LC-aqueous interface instead of a single strand of aptamer, causing a significant disruption in the customary orientation of LCs. This changed the brightness quantity from 35.06 to 69.54, due to higher interaction with the positively charged section of the surfactant than that for one aptamer strand. The presence of TOB caused the ternary aptamer hybrid to break apart by creating the complex between the aptamer and TOB, separating the aptamer strands from the LC-aqueous interface. Subsequently, the TOB presence was specified by inducing a color change in the polarized vision of the aptasensor platform, resulting in a shift from colorful to murky. The aptasensor could monitor TOB in the linear concentration range of 1 fM-10 nM, with an impressively low detection limit of 0.217 fM. With the capability to determine TOB in beef, chicken egg, and low-fat milk, the LC-decorated aptasensor is proficient in food quality control. The aptasensor possesses characteristics such as simplicity, high sensitivity, ease of use, and affordability. As a result, it has the potential to be marketed as a portable testing kit that is convenient and cost-effective.

How Pharmaceutical Residues Occur, Behave, and Affect the Soil Environment.

Many pharmaceuticals (PhMs), compounds for the treatment or prevention of diseases in humans and animals, have been identified as pollutants of emerging concern (PECs) due to their wide environmental distribution and potential adverse impact on nontarget organisms and populations. They are often found at significant levels in soils due to the continuous release of effluent and sludge from wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs), the release of which occurs much faster than the removal of PhMs. Although they are generally present at low environmental concentrations, conventional wastewater treatment cannot successfully remove PhMs from influent streams or biosolids. In addition, the soil application of animal manure can result in the pollution of soil, surface water, and groundwater with PhMs through surface runoff and leaching. In arid and semiarid regions, irrigation with reclaimed wastewater and the soil application of biosolids are usual agricultural practices, resulting in the distribution of a wide number of PhMs in agricultural soils. The ability to accurately study the fate of PhMs in soils is critical for careful risk evaluation associated with wastewater reuse or biosolid return to the environment. The behavior and fate of PhMs in soils are determined by a number of processes, including adsorption/desorption (accumulation) to soil colloids, biotic (biodegradation) and abiotic (chemical and photochemical degradation) degradation, and transfer (movement) through the soil profile. The sorption/desorption of PhMs in soils is the main determinant of the amount of organic chemicals taken up by plant roots. The magnitude of this process depends on several factors, such as crop type, the physicochemical properties of the compound, environmental properties, and soil-plant characteristics. PhMs are assumed to be readily bioavailable in soil solutions for uptake by plants, and such solutions act as carriers to transport PhMs into plants. Determining microbial responses under exposure conditions can assist in elucidating the impact of PhMs on soil microbial activity and community size. For all of the above reasons, soil remediation is critical when soil pollutants threaten the environment.

Biomonitoring emerging hazards of pharmaceuticals in river water using gut microbiome and behavioural Daphnia magna responses

A cost-effective Daphnia magna testing framework was applied to identify emerging hazards such as neurological and cardiovascular defects as well as antibiotic resistant genes (ARGs), related to pharmaceuticals present in waste water treated (WWTP) effluent discharged into rivers. D. magna juveniles were exposed during 48 h to water samples from three rivers in the vicinity of Barcelona (NE Spain), Besós, Llobregat and Onyar, upstream and downstream of WWTP discharging points. The analyses included measuring levels of 80 pharmaceutical residues in water samples by HPLC-MS, determination of the loads of different clinically relevant antibiotic resistant genes (ARGs) in both water samples and exposed animals, and assessment of toxic effects in feeding, heartbeat responses, and behavioural indicators. ARG prevalence in water, but not in gut microbiomes, was associated with the presence of bactericides in water. These results suggest that their levels were high enough to put a selective pressure over river microbial populations, but that Daphnia guts were not easily populated by environmental bacteria. Toxic effects were found in 20 to 43% of water samples, depending on the river, and related to water quality parameters and to pollutant levels. For example, heartbeats were correlated with salinity, whereas feeding impairment did so with high loads of suspended solids. In contrast, behavioural alterations were associated to the concentration of neuroactive chemicals. Accordingly, we hypothesize that measured neuroactive chemicals have caused the observed effects. If this also applies to local invertebrate populations, the environmental consequences may be severe and unpredictable.

The catalytic wet air oxidation of pharmaceutical wastewater with alkali-activated Mn and Cu composites: preparation of precursors by calcination of kaolin with Mn and Cu

In recent decades, the concentration of pharmaceutical residues and narcotics has increased in municipal wastewater. Decomposing these toxic organic chemicals is challenging and requires new techniques and advanced catalytic materials. Precursors of metal composites were prepared by calcining an aqueous suspension of natural clay–based kaolin with Mn and Cu, binding chemically the active metals to the aluminosilicate frame structure of the precursor. The specific surface area of Mn and Cu composite was 67 m2/g and 81 m2/g, respectively. The mechanical durability was determined in terms of compressive strength, and 3.3 MPa and 3.6 MPa were obtained, respectively. In the CWAO of pharmaceutical wastewater, Mn composite gave the highest conversions of 54% and 46% of the chemical oxygen demand (COD) and total organic carbon (TOC), respectively. Metal composites were mechanically and chemically highly durable, inducing only 1.2 wt.% and 1.4 wt.% mass loss. In CWAO, Mn and Cu composite increased the biodegradation of organic species in the wastewater by 65% and 75%, respectively.

Environmental impact of pharmaceutical contaminants in dumpsites: a study from Ejisu-Juaben municipality, Ghana

This study assessed the occurrence of nine pharmaceuticals (caffeine, ibuprofen, metronidazole, ciprofloxacin, amoxicillin, chloramphenicol, diclofenac, doxycycline, and paracetamol) in leachate and soil samples from eight dumpsites within the Ejisu-Juaben Municipality in the Ashanti Region of Ghana. It evaluated the ecotoxicological risk posed by these pharmaceuticals to organisms. The study also investigated the disposal patterns of pharmaceuticals by inhabitants of the municipality. After solid-phase extraction, the residues of selected antibiotics and analgesics in soil and leachate samples were analyzed using an HPLC–PDA method. Five of the pharmaceuticals were detected in the leachate and soil samples. Chloramphenicol, diclofenac, and paracetamol were detected in all leachate and soil samples, with concentrations ranging from 0.01 to 74.53 µg/L in leachate and 0.06–305.06 µg/kg in soil samples. Chloramphenicol had the highest concentration in leachate samples, while amoxicillin had the highest concentration in soil samples. Ecological risk assessment indicated that even the least detected pharmaceuticals posed a significant risk to fish, daphnia, and algae, with hazard quotients ranging from 0.56 to 1742.75. Survey results indicated that 71.0% of respondents disposed of unwanted or expired medicines. Within this group, 83.5% inappropriately disposed of expired drugs by placing them in household garbage, which is destined for dumpsites. Additionally, 52% of respondents wanted to protect the environment and would willingly contribute financially to enhance remediation efforts. The findings emphasize the urgent need for environmental policies and public education on proper pharmaceutical disposal to mitigate the ecological risks posed by pharmaceutical contaminants in developing regions. Altogether, the study highlights the presence of pharmaceutical residues in dumpsites at levels that could harm the ecosystem's health. Continuous monitoring and strategies to reduce pharmaceutical release into the environment are essential to protect the environment.

Simultaneous detection of enrofloxacin and chloramphenicol antibiotics using surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy combined with triangular silver nanoplates

The emergence of antibiotic residues in the environment and food requires the development of sensitive and selective detection methods for monitoring these contaminants. In fact, many different types of antibiotics will be used simultaneously to prevent diseases in livestock and aquatic animals, causing antibiotic residues in food and the environment. Rapid and accurate simultaneous analysis of multiple antibiotics at low concentrations remains a major challenge in in the field of rapid detection. This study presents a sensitive and selective method for the simultaneous detection of two widely used antibiotics, enrofloxacin and chloramphenicol, by combining surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) with triangular silver nanoplates. Triangular silver nanoplates (TAgNPls) in the form of colloid were simply synthesized by chemical reduction method and then used as an effective SERS substrate, enhancing the Raman signals of the target antibiotics and enabling the detection of these antibiotics at trace levels. It was found that with a SERS substrate assembled from the above TAgNPls, the antibiotics enrofloxacin and chloramphenicol could be detected with detection limits of 2.6 µg/L and 4.3 µg/L, respectively. In addition, this SERS substrate also allows simultaneous detection of the above two antibiotics in one analytical sample with concentrations as low as 10 µg/L for both substances. The proposed method holds promise for addressing concerns related to antibiotic contamination in various environments and food sources, contributing to the advancement of analytical techniques for the trace detection of pharmaceutical residues.

Assessing Lettuce Exposure to a Multi-Pharmaceutical Mixture in Soil: Insights from LC-ESI-TQ Analysis and the Impact of Biochar on Pharmaceutical Bioavailability.

Agricultural practices introduce pharmaceutical (PhAC) residues into the terrestrial environment, potentially endangering agricultural crops and human health. This study aimed to evaluate various aspects related to the presence of pharmaceuticals in the lettuce-soil system, including bioconcentration factors (BCFs), translocation factors (TFs), ecotoxicological effects, the influence of biochar on the PhAC bioavailability, persistence in soil, and associated environmental and health risks. Lettuce (Lactuca sativa L.) was exposed to a mixture of 25 PhACs in two scenarios: initially contaminated soil (ranging from 0 to 10,000 ng·g-1) and soil irrigated with contaminated water (ranging from 0 to 1000 μg·L-1) over a 28-day period. The findings revealed a diverse range of BCFs (0.068-3.7) and TFs (0.032-0.58), indicating the uptake and translocation potential of pharmaceuticals by lettuce. Significant ecotoxicological effects on L. sativa, including weight change and increased mortality, were observed (p < 0.05). Interestingly, biochar did not significantly affect PhAC uptake by L. sativa (p > 0.05), while it significantly influenced the soil degradation kinetics of 12 PhACs (p < 0.05). Additionally, the estimated daily intake of PhACs through the consumption of L. sativa suggested negligible health risks, although concerns arose regarding the potential health risks if other vegetable sources were similarly contaminated with trace residues. Furthermore, this study evaluated the environmental risk associated with the emergence of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) in soil, as medium to high. In conclusion, these findings highlight the multifaceted challenges posed by pharmaceutical contamination in agricultural environments and emphasize the importance of proactive measures to mitigate the associated risks to both environmental and human health.

Impact of Environmental Laws Pertaining to Pollution Problems in Pharma and Chemical Sectors in India

Medical waste is regarded as a hazardous waste of a specific kind because of its high toxicity, presence of radioactive and toxic compounds, and propensity to cause sickness. The degree to which bacteria and viruses are present in medical waste, the dosage and type of exposure, and the degree to which the body is resistant to these pathogens Trash from isolation rooms for patients with infectious disorders, bacterial, infectious, and biological agent residues, waste from sterilization and disinfection, blood, serums, and plasma, and pharmaceutical residues are all considered to be medical waste. This manual offers suggestions for reducing trash creation through source reduction and recycling as well as an explanation of the processes that produce waste in hospitals. Hospitals will benefit by restricting the age of these materials at the source or reusing the wastes on or off site in light of the fact that doing so will limit removal expenses and liabilities connected with discarding hazardous waste. Compared to industrial facilities, general medical and surgical hospitals produce less hazardous wastes overall, although they do so in a number of different forms. Pharmaceuticals were formerly believed to enter the environment largely through usage or improper disposal. It was discovered that some production facilities were the sources of substantially higher ambient concentrations than those brought on by drug use. For both authorities and the pharmaceutical industry, the widespread discovery of waste medicines in environmental samples and the dangers posed by their introduction into wildlife habitats are key issues. Pharmaceutical firms should understand that reducing drug use and environmental damage is in their own best interests because doing so will prevent the emergence of drug resistance, which will prolong the shelf life of their medications. Changes in public and worldwide regulations, the reception of reasonable environmental principles inside current business standards, and requests from medical care suppliers and patients are likely impetuses for activity. Yet, clients can't pursue taught decisions because of the shortage of data about the wellspring of drugs and the impacts of creation on the climate. We suggest that one of several crucial strategies for lowering pollution from medicine manufacture would be improved transparency throughout the entire production chain.

Enhanced mineralization of pharmaceutical residues at circumneutral pH by heterogeneous electro-Fenton-like process with Cu/C catalyst

Conventional electro-Fenton (EF) process at acidic pH ∼3 is recognized as a highly effective strategy to degrade organic pollutants; however, homogeneous metal catalysts cannot be employed in more alkaline media. To overcome this limitation, pyrolytic derivatives from metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) have emerged as promising heterogeneous catalysts. Cu-based MOFs were prepared using trimesic acid as the organic ligand and different pyrolysis conditions, yielding a set of nano-Cu/C catalysts that were analyzed by conventional methods. Among them, XPS revealed the surface of the Cu/C-A2-Ar/H2 catalyst was slightly oxidized to Cu(I) and, combined with XRD and HRTEM data, it can be concluded that the catalyst presents a core-shell structure where metallic copper is embedded in a carbon layer. The antihistamine diphenhydramine (DPH), spiked into either synthetic Na2SO4 solutions or actual urban wastewater, was treated in an undivided electrolytic cell equipped with a DSA-Cl2 anode and a commercial air-diffusion cathode able to electrogenerate H2O2. Using Cu/C as suspended catalyst, DPH was completely degraded in both media at pH 6–8, outperforming the EF process with Fe2+ catalyst at pH 3 in terms of degradation rate and mineralization degree thanks to the absence of refractory Fe(III)-carboxylate complexes that typically decelerate the TOC abatement. From the by-products detected by GC/MS, a reaction sequence for DPH mineralization is proposed.

Pharmaceuticals in raw and treated water from drinking water treatment plants nationwide: Insights into their sources and exposure risk assessment

Due to the large amounts of pharmaceuticals and personal care products (PPCPs) currently being consumed and released into the environment, this study provides a comprehensive analysis of pharmaceutical pollution in both raw and treated water from full-scale drinking water treatment plants nationwide. Our investigation revealed that 30 out of 37 PPCPs were present in raw water with mean concentrations ranging from 0.01–131 ng/L. The raw water sources, surface water (ND – 147 ng/L), subsurface water (ND – 123 ng/L) and reservoir sources (ND – 135 ng/L) exhibited higher mean concentration levels of pharmaceutical residues compared to groundwater sources (ND – 1.89 ng/L). Meanwhile, in treated water, 17 of the 37 analyzed PPCPs were present with carbamazepine, clarithromycin, fluconazole, telmisartan, valsartan, and cotinine being the most common (detection frequency > 40 %), and having mean concentrations of 1.22, 0.12, 3.48, 40.1, 6.36, and 3.73 ng/L, respectively. These findings highlight that, while water treatment processes are effective, there are some persistent compounds that prove challenging to fully eliminate. Using Monte Carlo simulations, risk assessment indicated that most of these compounds are likely to have negligible impact on human health, except for the antihypertensives. Telmisartan was identified as posing the highest ecological risk (RQ > 1), warranting further investigation, and monitoring. The study concludes by prioritizing specific 14 pharmaceuticals, including telmisartan, clarithromycin, lamotrigine, cotinine, lidocaine, tramadol, and others, for future monitoring to safeguard both ecological and human health.

Pharmaceutical residues in plastic tablet containers: Impacts on recycling and the environment

High-density polyethylene tablet containers are potentially very suitable for recycling, but no data are publicly available on active pharmaceutical ingredients’ (API) residues in empty containers and if they affect the recyclability of pharmaceutical packaging. Plastic tablet containers represented 15 % of pharmaceutical primary packages sold in Finland in 2020 and 2021, equalling 350 tons of plastic per year. We studied the residues of six APIs remaining or adsorbed inside plastic tablet containers. The effects of tablet coating and usage in dose-dispensing services versus households on the API residues, and rinsing water’s ability to remove the residues were evaluated. Up to 940,000 µg/kg of carbamazepine was detected in a container of uncoated carbamazepine tablets. The residues from coated tablets containing the other five APIs were 2.4–6,100 µg/kg. Ten times higher paracetamol residues were obtained in containers from household use than from a dose-dispensing unit. Rinsing can remove most API residues, but it leads to environmental emissions. For example, rinsing water can double carbamazepine emissions from a Finnish wastewater treatment plant where plastic packaging waste effluents are processed. Considering the API concentrations, decreasing residues by rinsing and dilution with other plastic packaging waste, the residues of the studied APIs are not considered an obstacle to the recycling of plastic tablet containers. However, further research is needed on more toxic APIs and the fate of APIs in the plastics recycling process.

Review: Impact of food safety on global trade.

Food safety encompasses the supply and assurance of safe, high-quality food for consumers. It is a crucial aspect of food security, gaining greater global attention due to the increasing number of widespread foodborne incidents. International trade is expanding as countries increasingly rely on each other to secure a sufficient and diverse food supply. Beyond this, concerns about food safety have become more prevalent due to various factors. Therefore, this review aims to investigate the effects of food safety-associated risks on the international trade of food and related products. A total of 37 published studies retrieved using different search engines were included in this review. This review revealed that because of rapid population growth and rising food demand in developing nations, agricultural intensification is growing. It has been found that foodborne illnesses and associated discrepancies can impede the international trade of food commodities. Trade bans due to the fear of foodborne illnesses are growing. The consequences of foodborne diseases are multifaceted and include financial losses from trade restrictions, medical costs for prevention or control, resource depletion and a decline in food production. The overall effects are increased international trade tensions and livelihood vulnerability to poverty, notably for small-scale livestock producers. Potential food contaminants include microbes, pesticides, pharmaceutical residues, heavy metals and fraudulent such as improper food processing, mislabelling, poor packaging, adulteration and substitution. Hence, countries are encouraged to harmonize the rights and duties set by the World Trade Organization under sanitary and phytosanitarys to maximize their advantages in global markets. Based on this evidence, we recommend that each country develop and integrate regulations that would ensure the safety of both domestic and international food production systems. Furthermore, the global community should either revise the current functioning food regulatory and monitoring body or establish a more genuine collaborative network.

Effect of antibiotics and antibiotic by-products on the chlorine resistance of biofilms in drinking water distribution systems

This study investigated the effects of tetracycline (TC) and sulfadiazine (SD), along with their degradation products, on biofilm chlorine resistance. The results showed that low concentrations of antibiotics and their degradation products promoted biofilm formation on tube surfaces and increased resistance to chlorine. There was a positive correlation between antibiotic levels, degradation products, and biofilm chlorine resistance within a specific concentration range. SD had a more significant impact on biofilm chlorine resistance compared to TC. The presence of both antibiotics and their degradation products in water led to an increase in biofilm chlorine resistance, especially when combined with 0.3 mg/L sodium hypochlorite. The study shows a positive association between antibiotic and degradation product concentrations and the biofilms' improved chlorine resistance, a phenomenon that could have major consequences for water treatment efforts. Additionally, higher concentrations of antibiotics and their degradation products were associated with reduced biodiversity within the biofilm. Overall, the findings suggest that the presence of antibiotics and their degradation products can influence biofilm formation, alter bacterial species composition, and enhance biofilm resistance to chlorine in drinking water distribution systems. This fresh perspective on the relationship between pharmaceutical residues and microbial communities in water systems could transform our approach to assuring water safety and combatting antimicrobial resistance.

Comparative in vitro hepatic clearances of commonly used antidepressants, antipsychotics, and anti-inflammatory agents in rainbow trout liver S9 fractions

Residues of human pharmaceuticals are widely detected in surface waters and can be taken up by and bioaccumulate in aquatic organisms, especially fish. One of the key challenges in assessing the bioaccumulation potential of ionizable organic compounds, such as the pharmaceuticals, is the lack of empirical data for biotransformation. In the present study, we assessed the in vitro intrinsic clearances (CLINT) of twelve pharmaceuticals, individually and some additionally as mixtures, in rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) liver S9 fractions (RT-S9) adhering to the OECD test guidance 319B. The test substances included four anti-inflammatory agents (diclofenac, ibuprofen, ketoprofen, naproxen), seven antidepressants/antipsychotics (citalopram, haloperidol, levomepromazine, mirtazapine, risperidone, sertraline, venlafaxine) and the O-desmethyl metabolite of venlafaxine. Quantifiable intrinsic clearances were detected for diclofenac, ibuprofen, naproxen, levomepromazine, and sertraline. Apart from diclofenac, the in vitro clearances of the other four pharmaceuticals were shown to be critically dependent on the cytochrome P450 (CYP) metabolism. Therefore, we also determined the half-maximal inhibitory concentrations (IC50) of the same twelve pharmaceuticals toward CYP1A-like (7-ethoxyresorufin-O-deethylation, EROD) and CYP3A-like (benzyloxy-4-trifluoromethylcoumarin-O-debenzyloxylation, BFCOD) activities in RT-S9 using IC50 shift assay. As a result, levomepromazine and sertraline were identified as the most potent inhibitors of both EROD and BFCOD activity (unbound IC50 < 10 µM each), followed by citalopram and haloperidol (10 µM < IC50 < 100 µM). Additionally, mirtazapine was a selective EROD inhibitor (IC50 ∼ 30 µM). The inhibitory impacts of haloperidol and sertraline were indicatively time dependent. Finally, we carried out intrinsic clearance assays with mixtures of diclofenac, ibuprofen, naproxen, levomepromazine, and sertraline to examine the impacts of EROD and BFCOD inhibitions on their in vitro CLINT in RT-S9. Our in vitro data suggests that the intrinsic clearances of ibuprofen, levomepromazine, and sertraline in rainbow trout can be significantly reduced as the result of P450 inhibition by pharmaceutical mixtures, whereas the clearances of diclofenac and naproxen are less impacted.

Degradation Acyclovir Using Sodium Hypochlorite: Focus on Byproducts Analysis, Optimal Conditions and Wastewater Application.

In recent years, the environmental impact of pharmaceutical residues has emerged as a pressing global concern, catalyzed by their widespread usage and persistence in aquatic ecosystems. Among these pharmaceuticals, acyclovir (ACV) stands out due to its extensive prescription during medical treatments for herpes simplex virus, chickenpox, and shingles, as well as its heightened usage amidst the COVID-19 pandemic. ACV is excreted largely unchanged by the human body, leading to significant environmental release through wastewater effluents. The urgency of addressing ACV's environmental impact lies in its potential to persist in water bodies and affect aquatic life. This persistence underscores the critical need for effective degradation strategies that can mitigate its presence in aquatic systems. This study focuses on employing sodium hypochlorite as an oxidative agent for the degradation of ACV, leveraging its common use in wastewater treatment plants. Our research aims to explore the kinetics of ACV degradation, identify and characterize its degradation byproducts, and optimize the conditions under which complete degradation can be achieved. By assessing the efficiency of sodium hypochlorite in real wastewater samples, this study seeks to provide practical insights into mitigating ACV contamination in aquatic environments. The novelty of this research lies in its comprehensive approach to understanding the degradation pathways of ACV and evaluating the feasibility of using sodium hypochlorite as a sustainable solution in wastewater treatment. By addressing the environmental concerns associated with ACV and offering practical solutions, this study contributes to the broader goal of sustainable pharmaceutical waste management and environmental stewardship.

Occurrence of pharmaceutical residues in drinking water: a systematic review.

The aim of the present paper was to give a complete picture on the drinking water contamination by pharmaceutical residues all over the world. For this purpose, a systematic review was carried out for identifying all available research reporting original data resulting by sampling campaign and analysis of "real" drinking water samples to detect pharmaceutical residues. The investigated databases were PubMed, Scopus, and Web of Science. A total of 124 studies were included; among these, 33 did not find target analytes (all below the limit of detection), while the remaining 91 studies reported the presence for one or more compounds, in concentrations ranging from a few units to a few tens of nanograms. The majority of the studies were performed in Europe and the most represented categories were nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs and analgesics. The most common analytical approach used is the preparation and analysis of the samples by solid-phase extraction and chromatography coupled to mass spectrometry. The main implications resulting from our review are the need for (a) further studies aimed to allow more accurate environmental, wildlife, and human health risk assessments and (b) developing integrated policies promoting less environmentally persistent drugs, the reduction of pharmaceuticals in livestock breeding, and the update of wastewater and drinking water treatment plants for a better removal of drugs and their metabolites.