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/