Occurrence of pharmaceuticals and personal care products and associated environmental risks in the central and lower Yangtze river, China

• Published in: Ecotoxicology and environmental safety 2014-08, Vol.106, p.19-26
• Main Authors: Wu, Chenxi, Huang, Xiaolong, Witter, Jason D., Spongberg, Alison L., Wang, Kexiong, Wang, Ding, Liu, Jiantong
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Animal, plant and microbial ecology; Applied ecology; Applied sciences; Biological and medical sciences; Chaos theory; China; Continental surface waters; Ecological risk assessment; Ecotoxicology, biological effects of pollution; Environmental Monitoring; Erythromycin; Exact sciences and technology; Fresh water environment; Freshwater; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Lakes; Lakes - chemistry; Natural water pollution; Occurrence; Pharmaceutical Preparations - analysis; Pollution; PPCPs; Risk; Risk Assessment; Rivers; Rivers - chemistry; Surface water; Water Pollutants, Chemical - analysis; Water treatment and pollution; Yangtze River
• ISSN: 0147-6513; 1090-2414
• DOI: 10.1016/j.ecoenv.2014.04.029

Pharmaceutical and personal care products (PPCPs) residues are being highlighted around the world as of emerging concern in surface waters. Here the occurrence of PPCPs in the central and lower Yangtze River, along with four large freshwater lakes within the river basin (Dongting, Poyang, Tai, and Chao) was reported. Fifteen out of twenty selected PPCPs were detected in the collected surface water samples. Caffeine, paraxanthine, sulfamethazine, and clindamycin were detected with 100 percent frequency in the Yangtze River. In the river, the highest average concentration was observed for erythromycin (296ngL−1), followed by caffeine (142ngL−1) and paraxanthine (41ngL−1). In the four lakes, total PPCP concentrations were much higher in the Chao (1547ngL−1) and Tai (1087ngL−1) lakes compared to the Poyang (108ngL−1) and Dongting (137ngL−1) lakes. Lincomycin and clindamycin were most abundant in the lakes, especially in the Tai Lake. Environmental risk assessment for the worst case scenario was assessed using calculated risk quotients, and indicates a high environmental risk of erythromycin and clarithromycin in the Yangtze River, clarithromycin in the Chao Lake, and clindamycin in the Tai Lake. •Occurrence of PPCPs was studied in the central and lower Yangtze and four large lakes.•Fifteen out of twenty selected PPCPs were detected in the water samples.•Caffeine and erythromycin were the dominant PPCPs components in the Yangtze River.•A high risk was found for erythromycin, clarithromycin, and clindamycin.