Drugs of abuse in surface and tap waters of the Tagus River basin: Heterogeneous photo-Fenton process is effective in their degradation

• Published in: Environment international 2012-05, Vol.41, p.35-43
• Main Authors: Valcárcel, Y., Martínez, F., González-Alonso, S., Segura, Y., Catalá, M., Molina, R., Montero-Rubio, J.C., Mastroianni, N., López de Alda, M., Postigo, C., Barceló, D.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Air. Soil. Water. Waste. Feeding; Animal, plant and microbial ecology; Applied ecology; Applied sciences; Biological and medical sciences; Cities - statistics & numerical data; Continental surface waters; Drinking Water - chemistry; Drugs of abuse; Earth sciences; Earth, ocean, space; Ecotoxicology, biological effects of pollution; Engineering and environment geology. Geothermics; Environment. Living conditions; Environmental Monitoring; Epidemiological Monitoring; Exact sciences and technology; Fresh water environment; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Humans; Hydrogen Peroxide; Iron; Medical sciences; Natural water pollution; Photo-Fenton; Photochemical Processes; Pollution; Pollution, environment geology; Public health. Hygiene; Public health. Hygiene-occupational medicine; Rivers - chemistry; Spain; Spain - epidemiology; Street Drugs - analysis; Surface water; Tagus River; Tap water; Waste Disposal, Fluid - methods; Water Pollutants, Chemical - analysis; Water Pollution, Chemical - statistics & numerical data; Water Purification - methods; Water Supply - statistics & numerical data; Water treatment and pollution
• ISSN: 0160-4120; 1873-6750
• DOI: 10.1016/j.envint.2011.12.006

This work investigates for the first time the occurrence of drugs of abuse and metabolites in surface waters from the Tagus River on its way through the province of Toledo (downstream Madrid metropolitan area) and in drinking waters in two nearby cities. Some of the studied drugs are used for therapeutic purposes but they can also be consumed as illicit drugs. The results of this preliminary study have revealed the presence of 12 out of 22 drugs of abuse analyzed in fluvial water at concentrations ranging from 1.14 to 40.9ng/L. The largest concentrations corresponded to the anxiolytics diazepam and lorazepam, the cocaine metabolite benzoilecgonine, the amphetamine-like compound ephedrine, and the methadone metabolite EDDP. All these substances, except for lorazepam, were detected in all the sampling points. Traces of methadone and ephedrine were detected in some samples of tap water. Despite the low concentrations of these pollutants, effects on wildlife or human health cannot be disregarded, especially on vulnerable population. Thus, the treatment of these substances using a heterogeneous photo-Fenton process has been evaluated, rendering a remarkable effectiveness for their degradation. ► The anxiolytics DIAZ and LOR, the cocaine metabolites BE and NorBE, the ALCs EPH and MDMA, the opioid METH and its metabolite EDDP, and the THC metabolite THC-COOH were all found in fluvial waters. ► Most of these substances were not found in tap waters. ► The application of heterogeneous photo-Fenton treatment as advanced oxidation process has shown a remarkable effectiveness for the degradation of these substances.