ABSTRACT
Providing. sufficiently. clean. water. to. the. public. has. become. a. challenging. issue. worldwide. as. the. quality. of.water. sources. increasingly. deteriorates.1. As. a. consequence,.treated.wastewater.has.attracted.attention.as.an.alternative.water.resource,. provided.appropriate. treatment.can.be.applied.2.Therefore,. the. removal.of.microcontaminants,.such.as.pharmaceuticals.and.personal-care.products,.in.wastewater.is. critical.because.many.of.these.compounds.survive.conventional.treatment.3.In.general,.these.compounds.are.present.at.parts.per.billion.(ppb).levels.or.less.in.wastewater.4,5.Although.these.concentrations.are.much.lower.than.the.levels.of.traditionally. known.organic.pollutants.(such.as.the.persistent.organic.pollutants.DDT,.PCBs,.and. the.like).the.potential.long-term.effects.of.these.compounds.to.humans.and.wildlife. cannot.be.neglected..For.example,.several.studies.have.shown.that.even.parts.per.trillion.(ppt).levels.of.ethinyl.estradiol.(the.active.ingredients.of.birth.control.pills).and. natural.estrogens.can.disrupt.the.hormone.system.of.aquatic.species.6,7.In.addition,. low.levels.of.antibiotics.from.the.effluents.of.wastewater.treatment.plants.(WWTPs). can.promote.antibiotic.resistance.in.microorganisms.that.are.exposed.constantly.to. these.compounds.8-10
Contents
15.1. Introduction.................................................................................................. 349 15.2. .Fate.of.Pharmaceuticals.in.Biological.Wastewater.Treatment.Process....... 350 15.3. Pharmaceutical.Removal.Mechanisms........................................................ 350
15.3.1. Biodegradation.and.Biotransformations........................................ 351 15.3.2. Sorption......................................................................................... 352
15.4. Influence.of.Wastewater.Treatment.Plant.(WWTP). Operating.Conditions........................................................................... 354
15.5. Final.Remarks.............................................................................................. 358 References............................................................................................................... 358
Residues.of.human.and.veterinary.pharmaceuticals.are.introduced.into.the.environment.via.a.number.of.pathways.but.primarily.from.discharges.of.wastewater.treatment.plants.or.land.application.of.sewage.sludge.and.animal.manure..Most.active. ingredients.in.pharmaceuticals.are.transformed.only.partially.in.the.body.and.thus. are.excreted.as.a.mixture.of.metabolites.and.bioactive.forms.into.sewage.systems.. Although. WWTPs. remove. some. pharmaceuticals. during. treatment,4,11,12. removal. efficiencies.vary.from.plant.to.plant..Despite.recent.investigations.documenting.the. occurrence.of.pharmaceuticals.in.the.environment,.important.information.on.their. fate.and.long-term.effects.is.still.lacking.13
