Pharmaceutical residues in the aquatic environment
Identification and evaluation of sources and measures for the reduction of discharges for the protection of the drinking water in the region of Freiburg
Abstract
Recent studies have proven that pharmaceutical residues can enter the water cycle via waster water and are only partially removed during waste water treatment. Thus, they may be released in surface waters. Furthermore, investigations from water suppliers have shown that trace amounts of pharmaceutical residues and diagnostic agents can occasionally also be found in drinking waters. Activated carbon filtration as well as conventional or advanced oxidation processes proved to be able to remove pharmaceutical residues from the drinking water, although the underlying data sets still are rather incomplete. Especially for some important groups of pharmaceuticals as agents against heart diseases, no data are available yet. Furthermore, a data collection on regional scale including the discharge of pharmaceuticals, their fate during waste water treatment and in the aquatic environment and their behaviour during drinking water treatment is still missing.
The project is subdivided into two parts, which are executed by the Institute of Environmental Medicine and Hospital Epidemiology at the University of Freiburg and the TZW. In part 1, local and regional consumption data will be determined for selected model regions and compared to data collected on global scale. Furthermore, the project will provide data on removal efficiencies for selected pharmaceuticals of waste water treatment plants as well as treatment steps as oxidation, activated carbon filtration, and membrane filtration used in drinking water preparation processes. These data will be used for the development of strategies for minimizing the risks related to the occurrence of pharmaceutical residues in the environment and in drinking waters.
Recent studies have proven that pharmaceutical residues can enter the water cycle via waster water and are only partially removed during waste water treatment. Thus, they may be released in surface waters. Furthermore, investigations from water suppliers have shown that trace amounts of pharmaceutical residues and diagnostic agents can occasionally also be found in drinking waters. Activated carbon filtration as well as conventional or advanced oxidation processes proved to be able to remove pharmaceutical residues from the drinking water, although the underlying data sets still are rather incomplete. Especially for some important groups of pharmaceuticals as agents against heart diseases, no data are available yet. Furthermore, a data collection on regional scale including the discharge of pharmaceuticals, their fate during waste water treatment and in the aquatic environment and their behaviour during drinking water treatment is still missing.
The project is subdivided into two parts, which are executed by the Institute of Environmental Medicine and Hospital Epidemiology at the University of Freiburg and the TZW. In part 1, local and regional consumption data will be determined for selected model regions and compared to data collected on global scale. Furthermore, the project will provide data on removal efficiencies for selected pharmaceuticals of waste water treatment plants as well as treatment steps as oxidation, activated carbon filtration, and membrane filtration used in drinking water preparation processes. These data will be used for the development of strategies for minimizing the risks related to the occurrence of pharmaceutical residues in the environment and in drinking waters.
Contact
Funding
Innovationsfonds Klima- und Wasserschutz der badenova AG & Co. KG (50% funding)
