Abstract
The research project performed in the years 1999 to 2002 was aiming at a comprehensive survey on the occurrence of pharmaceuticals and endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDC) in ground and surface waters, and soil in Baden-Württemberg. First, analytical methods for the trace-level determination of 74 single compounds (63 pharmaceuticals and 11 EDC) in ground and surface waters. In order to study the occurrence of these compounds in ground waters in Baden-Württemberg more than 180 samples out of 105 groundwater wells were taken and analysed. The results showed that in quite a lot of groundwater wells pharmaceuticals or EDC could be found. Concentration levels were between 10 ng/L and 1 µg/L. A closer look on the local situation of the groundwater wells yielded a direct correlation between the finding of pharmaceuticals and the impact of waste water. In order to study the occurrence of pharmaceuticals or EDC in surface waters in Baden-Württemberg six sampling sites at rivers were regularly analysed. The results proved that pharmaceuticals and EDC regularly could be found in surface waters. Again, concentration levels were between 10 ng/L and above 1 µg/L and a good correlation to the waste water fraction of the respective river could be found. Compounds most often found were metoprolol, sotalol, carbamazepine, diclofenac, sulfamethoxazole, anhydro-erythromycin, the iodinated x-ray contrast media iopamidol, iomeprol, and amidotrizoic acid, as well as bisphenol A.