Occurrence of pharmaceuticals in a water supply system and related human health risk assessment

A monitoring study of 31 pharmaceuticals along Lisbon's drinking water supply system was implemented, which comprised the analysis of 250 samples including raw water (surface water and groundwater), and drinking water. Of the 31 pharmaceutical compounds, only sixteen were quantified in the anal...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Water research (Oxford) 2015-04, Vol.72, p.199-208
Main Authors: de Jesus Gaffney, Vanessa, Almeida, Cristina M.M., Rodrigues, Alexandre, Ferreira, Elisabete, Benoliel, Maria João, Cardoso, Vitor Vale
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Adolescent
Adult
Child
Child, Preschool
Drinking water
Drinking Water - chemistry
Groundwater
Health
Human
Humans
Indicators
Infant
Infant, Newborn
Monitoring
Pharmaceutical Preparations - analysis
Pharmaceuticals
Portugal
Raw
Risk Assessment
Tandem Mass Spectrometry
Water Pollutants, Chemical - analysis
Water Supply
Young Adult
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Summary:A monitoring study of 31 pharmaceuticals along Lisbon's drinking water supply system was implemented, which comprised the analysis of 250 samples including raw water (surface water and groundwater), and drinking water. Of the 31 pharmaceutical compounds, only sixteen were quantified in the analyzed samples, with levels ranging from 0.005 to 46 ng/L in raw water samples and 0.09–46 ng/L in drinking water samples. The human health risk assessment performed showed that appreciable risks to the consumer's health arising from exposure to trace levels of pharmaceuticals in drinking water are extremely unlikely, as RQs values were all below 0.001. Also, pharmaceuticals were selected as indicators to be used as a tool to control the quality of raw water and the treatment efficiency in the drinking water treatment plants. [Display omitted] •31 pharmaceuticals were monitored in a Portuguese water supply system.•A human health risk assessment was performed.•Indicators that could be used as quality control tools were defined.
ISSN:0043-1354
1879-2448
DOI:10.1016/j.watres.2014.10.027