Download - Pharmaceuticals in Drinking Water
Pharmaceuticals in Pharmaceuticals in Drinking WaterDrinking Water
Nancy MesnerNancy Mesner
Aquatic, Watershed and Earth ResourcesAquatic, Watershed and Earth ResourcesUtah State UniversityUtah State University
• Background on the Drinking Background on the Drinking Water ActWater Act
• Unregulated contaminantantsUnregulated contaminantants• Pharmaceuticals in drinking waterPharmaceuticals in drinking water
• SourcesSources• TreatmentTreatment• ImpactsImpacts
Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA)Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA)
Enforceable health standards for dw Enforceable health standards for dw contaminantscontaminants
Public notification of water system violationsPublic notification of water system violations
Protects underground sources of drinking waterProtects underground sources of drinking water
State revolving loan fund for upgradesState revolving loan fund for upgrades
Assessment of all drinking water sources for Assessment of all drinking water sources for vulnerability to contaminationvulnerability to contamination
Public Water Systems Public Water Systems - - serve piped water to at least 25 people or 15 service serve piped water to at least 25 people or 15 service connections for at least 60 days/yearconnections for at least 60 days/year
Community water systemsCommunity water systemsEg. Most citiesEg. Most cities
Non-community water systems Non-community water systems Eg. School with its own systemEg. School with its own system
Eg. Public CampgroundsEg. Public Campgrounds
Water Testing:Water Testing:
EPA establishes minimum testing EPA establishes minimum testing schedules for public drinking systems. schedules for public drinking systems.
Increases in frequency if problems occurIncreases in frequency if problems occur
Testing and reporting of results is not Testing and reporting of results is not consistent across the country consistent across the country
Primary Drinking Water RegulationsPrimary Drinking Water Regulations
Micro-organisms Micro-organisms eg. Cryptosporidium, Coliformseg. Cryptosporidium, Coliforms
Disinfection ByproductsDisinfection Byproductseg. Chlorite, Total Trihalomethaneseg. Chlorite, Total Trihalomethanes
DisinfectantsDisinfectantsEg. Chlorine (as ClEg. Chlorine (as Cl22))
Inorganic ChemicalsInorganic ChemicalsEg. Metals, nitrateEg. Metals, nitrate
Organic chemicalsOrganic chemicalsEg. Pesticides, industrial by-productsEg. Pesticides, industrial by-products
Secondary Drinking Water RegulationsSecondary Drinking Water Regulations
Non enforceable guidelines concerning Non enforceable guidelines concerning contaminants that may cause:contaminants that may cause:
Cosmetic effects Cosmetic effects (skin or tooth discoloration)(skin or tooth discoloration)
Aesthetic effectsAesthetic effects(taste, odor or color in water)(taste, odor or color in water)
EPAs approach for EPAs approach for
evaluating new pollutants:evaluating new pollutants:
Drinking water Contaminant Candidate ListDrinking water Contaminant Candidate List
Regulatory Determination Priorities (based on Regulatory Determination Priorities (based on occurrence and research priorities)occurrence and research priorities)
EPA has also established a National Drinking EPA has also established a National Drinking Water Contaminant Occurrence Database to Water Contaminant Occurrence Database to support decision making and new regulations support decision making and new regulations
And an Unregulated Contaminant Monitoring And an Unregulated Contaminant Monitoring RegulationRegulation
Sources of pollutantsSources of pollutants
Point and non-point sourcesPoint and non-point sources
Pharmaceuticals in DWPharmaceuticals in DW
Sources:Sources:
Pharmaceutical industriesPharmaceutical industriesHospitals, medical facilitiesHospitals, medical facilitiesHouseholdsHouseholds
medicinesmedicinesPersonal care products Personal care products Farm animalsFarm animals
Endocrine disruptorsEndocrine disruptors
Sources:Sources:
Hospitals, medical facilities, householdsHospitals, medical facilities, households
Pesticides (may leach into gw, are persistent Pesticides (may leach into gw, are persistent and fat soluble)and fat soluble)
Industrial byproducts (eg. Dioxins/ pcbs)Industrial byproducts (eg. Dioxins/ pcbs)
20 years ago20 years ago aspirin, caffeine, and nicotine found aspirin, caffeine, and nicotine found in sewage treatment plants in U.S. in sewage treatment plants in U.S.
USDA researchers found clofibric USDA researchers found clofibric acid (cholesterol lowering drug) in acid (cholesterol lowering drug) in groundwater infiltration basinsgroundwater infiltration basins
Evidence of pharmaceuticals in the Evidence of pharmaceuticals in the environmentenvironment
Studies which sounded the alarm: Studies which sounded the alarm:
~ 10 years ago, clofibric acid found beneath ~ 10 years ago, clofibric acid found beneath German treatment plant.German treatment plant.
mid 1990s, 30 of 60 pharmaceuticals tested for mid 1990s, 30 of 60 pharmaceuticals tested for found in water samples found in water samples
Tulane University study: found low levels of drugs Tulane University study: found low levels of drugs in Mississippi River, Lake Ponchetrain and in Tulane in Mississippi River, Lake Ponchetrain and in Tulane tape watertape water
USGS study in 1999-2000USGS study in 1999-2000
Tested for 95 pharmaceuticals, hormones and other organicsTested for 95 pharmaceuticals, hormones and other organics
139 streams in 30 states.139 streams in 30 states.
82 found in at least one sample82 found in at least one sample
80% of streams had 1 or more contaminant80% of streams had 1 or more contaminant54% of streams had > 5 contaminants54% of streams had > 5 contaminants13% of streams had > 20 contaminants 13% of streams had > 20 contaminants
Pharmaceuticals have now been found in Pharmaceuticals have now been found in treated sewage effluents, surface waters, treated sewage effluents, surface waters, soils and tap water.soils and tap water.
Up to 90% of oral drugs can pass through Up to 90% of oral drugs can pass through humans unchanged.humans unchanged.
Many do not biodegradeMany do not biodegrade
Some persist in groundwater for years.Some persist in groundwater for years.
General Findings:General Findings:
PPCPs released estimated to be ~ the same as PPCPs released estimated to be ~ the same as amount of pesticides used each year.amount of pesticides used each year.
U.S. may account for ~ ½ of pharmaceutical use in U.S. may account for ~ ½ of pharmaceutical use in world (based on sales)world (based on sales)
Amount of pharmaceuticals released Amount of pharmaceuticals released unknown, but… unknown, but…
Impacts:Impacts:
Mostly unknownMostly unknown
Concentrations in parts per trillionConcentrations in parts per trillion(well below therapeutic doses)(well below therapeutic doses)
Concern about chronic exposureConcern about chronic exposure
hormone disruption hormone disruption antibiotic resistanceantibiotic resistance
Endocrine disruption:Endocrine disruption:
Chemicals may:Chemicals may: mimic hormones (eg. DES)mimic hormones (eg. DES) block hormones (eg. DDE)block hormones (eg. DDE) trigger abnormal response (eg. Dioxin)trigger abnormal response (eg. Dioxin)
Most evidence from fish and wildlife studiesMost evidence from fish and wildlife studies
Links to human impacts not yet definitiveLinks to human impacts not yet definitive
Possible problems include:Possible problems include:
lower sperm counts,lower sperm counts, increased rate of breast, increased rate of breast, testicular, prostate cancer,testicular, prostate cancer, increased incidence of hyperactivity and learningincreased incidence of hyperactivity and learning
Developing embryos probably most at riskDeveloping embryos probably most at risk
80% of adults and 90% of children in U.S. contain 80% of adults and 90% of children in U.S. contain residues of 1 or more pesticidesresidues of 1 or more pesticides
Mothers who drink water with higher levels of Mothers who drink water with higher levels of ammonium perchlorate have babies with elevated ammonium perchlorate have babies with elevated thyroid stimulating hormone (indicator of thyroid stimulating hormone (indicator of
hypothyroidism).hypothyroidism).
Male health trends:Male health trends:
Increased testicular cancer in England, Wales, other European Increased testicular cancer in England, Wales, other European countriescountries
Decreased sperm count world wide over last 40 years.Decreased sperm count world wide over last 40 years.
Increase in reproductive abnormalitiesIncrease in reproductive abnormalities
Fewer male babies bornFewer male babies born
Female trends:Female trends:
Breast cancer on riseBreast cancer on rise
Early puberty Early puberty
Regional concerns: Regional concerns:
May be more critical in arid environments May be more critical in arid environments
GW recharge of treated sewageGW recharge of treated sewage
Reuse of treated waste for irrigationReuse of treated waste for irrigation
Natural streams contain greater percentage of Natural streams contain greater percentage of effluent. effluent.
What to do:What to do:
Good news: Good news: chemicals with similar properties will probably chemicals with similar properties will probably respond respond
the same way to treatment.the same way to treatment.
But…But…Conventional wastewater treatment is relatively Conventional wastewater treatment is relatively
ineffectiveineffective
Drinking water treatment is variableDrinking water treatment is variable
Drinking water treatment technologies:Drinking water treatment technologies:
Highly effective techniques:Highly effective techniques:
Advanced oxidation removes many compoundsAdvanced oxidation removes many compounds
Membrane filtration and filtration with Granular activated carbon Membrane filtration and filtration with Granular activated carbon
Nano-filtration and reverse osmosis (eliminated all drugs)Nano-filtration and reverse osmosis (eliminated all drugs)
Somewhat effective:Somewhat effective:
Oxidation (eg. Conventional ozone) effective Oxidation (eg. Conventional ozone) effective
in transforming selected pharmaceuticalsin transforming selected pharmaceuticals
Least effective techniques:Least effective techniques:
Chlorine (most common in U.S.)Chlorine (most common in U.S.)
Other approaches:Other approaches:Control what gets into environment:Control what gets into environment:
Source control (medical disposal practices)Source control (medical disposal practices)
Design more environmentally friendly drugsDesign more environmentally friendly drugs
Minimize over use or misuse of drugs/chemicalsMinimize over use or misuse of drugs/chemicals
Point of use treatment of drugsPoint of use treatment of drugs
Add advance waste and water treatment technologies and source Add advance waste and water treatment technologies and source control at point of entry into environment.control at point of entry into environment.
EPA information:EPA information:
http://www.epa.gov/esd/chemistry/pharma/http://www.epa.gov/esd/chemistry/pharma/