Author(s): Kennedy C. Conceicao; Cristina A. Villamar
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Keywords: No Keywords
Abstract: Environmental impacts of pharmaceutical and personal care products (PPCPs) are related with potential environmental risk to aquatic ecosystems and effects in the public health. The dynamic of PPCPs generation is influenced by consumption habits, seasonality, and extreme disease situation (e. g., SARS-CoV-2 pandemic). The use of pharmaceutical and personal care products has increased during COVID-19 pandemic. Thus, azithromycin, ciprofloxacin, caffeine, ibuprofen, losartan and triclosan were widely used. The main objective is to evaluate the spatial temporal variability of PPCPs from rural domestic wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs). Samples were collected for PPCPs analysis in influents and effluents from 10 WWTPs during warm and cold seasons. Chromatographic analysis (GC-DAD) using C18 column and solid phase extraction were used. Caffeine, ibuprofen, ciprofloxacin, azithromycin, losartan and triclosan were seasonally monitored. The experimental results showed that PPCP concentrations in the influents and effluents were 11.1–1077.4 ug/L and 0.1–595 ug/L for both seasons, respectively. PPCP removal efficiencies exhibited large variability between 14.7–100% for antibiotics, physic stimulants, NSAIDs, antihypertensives and disinfectants. Therefore, the emerging compounds showed seasonal variation, resulting from the conditions of use, sales, and health such as the COVID-19 pandemic.
Year: 2022