Determination of naproxen, diclofenac and ibuprofen in Umgeni estuary and seawater: A case of northern Durban in KwaZulu–Natal Province of South Africa

Monitoring pharmaceuticals and personal care products in water and fish from the Gulf of Urabá, Colombia

“…On the contrary, Ngubane et al, obtained higher concentrations for ibuprofen (0.17 μg/L) than for naproxen and diclofenac, when analysing samples of seawater in Durban, South Africa (Ngubane et al, 2019). In this study, naproxen and ibuprofen were detected up to 0.16 and 0.17 μg/L respectively (Ngubane et al, 2019). Concentrations of emerging pollutant observed in our study were compared to those reported in several countries.…”

“…Therefore, it can be considered that the method used in the laboratory was successfully applied in the determination of low levels of PPCPs in these kinds of samples. On the contrary, Ngubane et al, obtained higher concentrations for ibuprofen (0.17 μg/L) than for naproxen and diclofenac, when analysing samples of seawater in Durban, South Africa (Ngubane et al, 2019). In this study, naproxen and ibuprofen were detected up to 0.16 and 0.17 μg/L respectively (Ngubane et al, 2019).…”

“…The authors detected up to 0.16 μg/L and 0.17 μg/L of naproxen and ibuprofen, respectively. Also, they found that the occurrence of pharmaceuticals in the studied samples could be linked to the direct disposal of these upstream in the Umgeni River, while WWTPs disposing treated effluent with pharmaceutical residues into water bodies that feed into the Umgeni River could contribute to the load of pollutants in the study area (Ngubane et al, 2019). Similarly, naproxen, diclofenac and ibuprofen were detected in estuaries, which suggests that these pollutants are carried by surface water into the receiving oceans (Stewart et al, 2014).…”

“…Concentrations of emerging pollutant observed in our study were compared to those reported in several countries. Diclofenac and ibuprofen levels detected in Atlantic Ocean (Portuguese coast), Eastern Mediterranean Sea and Santos Bay in Brazil corresponding to 0.24 and 0.22 μg/L; 0.02 and <LOD and 0.02 and 2.09, respectively (Alygizakis et al, 2016;Ngubane et al, 2019;Paíga et al, 2015;Pereira et al, 2016).…”

“…The continuous loading of these pollutants into aquatic bodies causes some of these compounds to behave as pseudo-persistent organic pollutants, despite their short environmental half-life. Ngubane et al studied the occurrence of naproxen, diclofenac and ibuprofen in the Umgeni river mouth and the sea water at the coastal zone where the Umgeni river enters the Indian ocean (Ngubane et al, 2019). The authors detected up to 0.16 μg/L and 0.17 μg/L of naproxen and ibuprofen, respectively.…”