ABSTRACT
Pharmaceutically Active Compounds (PhACs) are continuously discharged into the aquatic marine environment through sewage effluents, rivers, and aquaculture facilities located in coastal areas. Therefore they can be found in different compartments (water, sediments, and biota) in marine environment. Although still not regulated, PhACs are considered pollutants of emerging concern and therefore they need to be monitored in both freshwater and marine ecosystems. In this chapter, current analytical methodologies and studies about the presence of pharmaceuticals in the marine environment are thoroughly reviewed. The presence of several therapeutic families was evaluated, antibiotics, psychiatric drugs, and analgesics/antiinflammatories being the groups most frequently detected in all environmental compartments. Levels found in the marine environment were in general lower than those found in the freshwater system but occasionally reached values up to 2983 ng/L of acetaminophen, 458 ng/g of ofloxacin, and 490 ng/g of salicylic acid in water, sediment, and biota respectively. Other aspects related to the presence of PhACs in marine environment, such as pollutant distribution in the environment, geographical variations, and environmental risk assessment, are also considered in this chapter.
