Fate of new three anti-influenza drugs and one prodrug in the water environment

• Published in: Chemosphere (Oxford) 2017-02, Vol.169, p.550-557
• Main Authors: Azuma, Takashi, Ishida, Mao, Hisamatsu, Kanae, Yunoki, Ayami, Otomo, Kana, Kunitou, Mari, Shimizu, Mai, Hosomaru, Kaori, Mikata, Shiori, Mino, Yoshiki
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Amides - analysis; Antiviral Agents - analysis; Avigan; Biodegradation; Biodegradation, Environmental; Cyclopentanes - analysis; Environmental Monitoring - methods; Fresh Water; Guanidines - analysis; Half-Life; Humans; Inavir; Influenza, Human - epidemiology; Japan; Photolysis; Prodrugs - analysis; Pyrazines - analysis; Rapiacta; Rivers - chemistry; Seasons; Sewage - analysis; Sorption; Water Pollutants, Chemical - analysis; Zanamivir - analogs & derivatives; Zanamivir - analysis
• ISSN: 0045-6535; 1879-1298
• DOI: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2016.11.102

We evaluated the environmental fate of new three anti-influenza drugs, favipiravir (FAV), peramivir (PER), and laninamivir (LAN), and an active prodrug of LAN, laninamivir octanoate (LANO), in comparison with four conventional drugs, oseltamivir (OS), oseltamivir carboxylate (OC), amantadine (AMN), and zanamivir (ZAN) by photodegradation, biodegradation, and sorption to river sediments. In addition, we conducted 9-month survey of urban rivers in the Yodo River basin from 2015 to 2016 (including the influenza season) to investigate the current status of occurrence of these drugs in the river environment. The results clearly showed that FAV and LAN rapidly disappeared through photodegradation (half-lives 1 and 8 h, respectively), followed by LANO which gradually disappeared through biodegradation (half-life, 2 days). The remained PER and conventional drugs were, however, persistent and transported from upstream to downstream sites. Rates of their sorption to river sediments were negligibly small. Detected levels remained were in the range from N.D. to 89 ng/L for the river waters and from N.D. to 906 ng/L in sewage effluent. However, all of the remained drugs were effectively removed by ozonation after chlorination at a sewage treatment plant. These findings suggest the importance of introducing ozonation for reduction of pollution loads in rivers, helping to keep river environments safe. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first evaluation of the removal effects of natural sunlight, biodegradation, and sorption to river sediments on FAV, PER, LAN, LANO, and a conventional drug, AMN. [Display omitted] •Environmental fate of new three anti-influenza drugs and one prodrug was evaluated.•Photolysis, biodegradation, and sorption experiments were conducted.•Nine-month monitoring survey of urban rivers in Japan was investigated.•Favipiravir and Laninamivir were rapidly removed through photodegradation.•Ozone treatment of sewage was effective for removal of anti-influenza drugs.