ABSTRACT
Pharmaceutical chemicals are discussed under drinking water quality aspects. Most of the detected substances occur in raw water in a concentration range comparable to pesticides. Especially surface water with high waste water loads is contaminated. Natural filtration processes like bank filtration or artificial groundwater recharge in principle are vulnerable to water soluble pharmaceutics. Results show that trace amounts for example of lipid reducing agents, antirheumatics and hormons may enter the ground or drinking water.
