Indirect human exposure to pharmaceuticals via drinking water

Webb, Simon; Ternes, Thomas A.; Gibert, Michel; Olejniczak, Klaus

doi:10.1016/s0378-4274(03)00071-7

Cited by 319 publications

(163 citation statements)

References 18 publications

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“…Using current environmental concentrations, the ''worst case'' assumption of no removal at all during drinking water production, and an estimated consumption of 2 l of water per day, it can be calculated that for most pharmaceuticals the dose that might be obtained by life-long consumption of drinking water is lower than the dose obtained from a single medical treatment with the same pharmaceutical (Webb et al 2003). It is therefore often concluded that traces of pharmaceuticals in drinking water likely do not represent an acute health risk problem (Daughton and Ternes 1999;Webb et al 2003;Versteegh et al 2007;Johnson et al 2008). However, although exposure assessment calculations do indicate the relative significance of drinking water as exposure route, one should be aware that as such they do not give an indication of the likeliness of adverse health effects other than the therapeutic one.…”

Section: Exposure Assessmentmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Emerging contaminants in surface waters and their relevance for the production of drinking water in Europe

Houtman

2010

Journal of Integrative Environmental Sciences

197

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An increasing part of drinking water in Europe is prepared from surface water. At the same time, a growing number of emerging contaminants is being discovered in surface water. This review provides an overview of classes of emerging contaminants nowadays detected in the aquatic environment that are of relevance for drinking water production. These comprise e.g. endocrine disrupting compounds, such as hormones and compounds with hormone-like properties, pharmaceuticals, illicit and non-controlled drugs, sweeteners, personal care products, complexing agents, nanoparticles, perfluorinated compounds, flame retardants, pesticides, and fuel additives. The individual compounds are observed in concentrations that are generally considered too low to cause acute effects. Nevertheless, health effects due to long-term exposure to a mixture of low concentrations of all kinds of emerging contaminants cannot be excluded with current knowledge. Moreover, contamination of drinking water with man-made substances is considered unwanted in principle. The precautionary principle is used to motivate that prevention of emission of emerging contaminants into the environment is the preferred approach to safeguard sustainable drinking water production. In the mean time, extensive monitoring of the sources and development and application of advanced treatment techniques are used to prepare safe drinking water.

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Section: Exposure Assessmentmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Webb et al 2003). To deal with this problem, the TTC approach took as starting point that even for compounds for which toxicity is not known in detail a safe exposure could be estimated.…”

Section: Risk Assessmentmentioning

confidence: 99%

Emerging contaminants in surface waters and their relevance for the production of drinking water in Europe

Houtman

2010

Journal of Integrative Environmental Sciences

197

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“…Furthermore, as lakes and rivers are used in many places for drinking water supply, pharmaceuticals and pesticides can therefore be found in tap water at very low concentrations, even after drinking water treatment (Huerta-Fontela et al, 2011;Mompelat et al, 2009;Stackelberg et al, 2007). Acute human health effects are not expected (Webb et al, 2003), but effects of long term exposure are unknown and, therefore, the release of these compounds into the environment should be avoided.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Treatment of micropollutants in municipal wastewater: Ozone or powdered activated carbon?

Margot

Kienle

Magnet³

et al. 2013

Science of The Total Environment

674

404

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Highlights• Micropollutants are efficiently removed by both ozone and powdered activated carbon• Specific substances were removed more efficiently by ozone• Powdered activated carbon effectively removed a wider range of pollutants• Both treatments significantly reduced the toxicity of WWTP effluent AbstractMany organic micropollutants present in wastewater, such as pharmaceuticals and pesticides, are poorly removed in conventional wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs). To reduce the release of these substances into the aquatic environment, advanced wastewater treatments are necessary. In this context, two large-scale pilot advanced treatments were tested in parallel over more than one year at the municipal WWTP of Lausanne, Switzerland. The treatments were: i) oxidation by ozone followed by sand filtration (SF) and ii) powdered activated carbon (PAC) adsorption followed by either ultrafiltration (UF) or sand filtration. More than 70 potentially problematic substances (pharmaceuticals, pesticides, endocrine disruptors, drugs metabolites and other common chemicals) were regularly measured at different stages of treatment. Additionally, several ecotoxicological tests such as the yeast estrogen screen, a combined algae bioassay and a fish early life stage test were performed to evaluate effluent toxicity. Both treatments significantly improved the effluent quality. Micropollutants were removed on average over 80% compared with raw wastewater, with an average ozone dose of 5.7 mg O 3 l -1 or a PAC dose between 10 and 20 mg l -1 . Depending on the chemical properties of the substances (presence of electron-rich moieties, charge and hydrophobicity), either ozone or PAC performed better. Both advanced treatments led to a clear reduction in toxicity of the effluents, with PAC-UF performing slightly better overall. As both treatments had, on average, relatively similar efficiency, further criteria relevant to their implementation were considered, including local constraints (e.g., safety, sludge disposal, disinfection), operational feasibility and cost. For sensitive receiving waters (drinking water resources or recreational waters), the PAC-UF treatment, despite its current higher cost, was considered to be the most suitable option, enabling good removal of most micropollutants and macropollutants without forming problematic by-products, the strongest decrease in toxicity and a total disinfection of the effluent.

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“…Comparison of daily or life intake of pharmaceuticals via drinking water (2 litres per day over 70 years) with therapeutic doses indicates that the exposure levels are low and well below the dosages that can cause pharmacological effect (Webb et al 2003). However, one potential concern is the presence of cytotoxic drugs such as anti-neoplastics (e.g.…”

Section: Challenges Posed By Edcs and Ppcps To The Drinking Water Indmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…However, one potential concern is the presence of cytotoxic drugs such as anti-neoplastics (e.g. cyclophosphamide), which are carcinogenic, teratogenic and risks may exist at any level of exposure (Webb et al 2003). The use of therapeutic doses to estimate the risk thus may not be applicable to genotoxins such as cyclophosphamide (Webb et al 2003).…”

Section: Challenges Posed By Edcs and Ppcps To The Drinking Water Indmentioning

confidence: 99%

Endocrine disrupting compounds (EDCs) and pharmaceuticals and personal care products (PPCPs) in the aquatic environment: implications for the drinking water industry and global environmental health

Rahman

Yanful

Jasim³

2009

Journal of Water and Health

122

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Endocrine disrupting compounds (EDCs) and pharmaceuticals and personal care products (PPCPs) are a group of chemical compounds with diverse physical and chemical properties. Recent studies have indicated undesired effects of EDCs and PPCPs at their reported trace concentrations (ng l 21 to mg l 21 ). This paper reviews the current knowledge on the sources, properties, occurrence and health impacts of EDCs and PPCPs, and their removal from drinking water using ozonation and ozone/hydrogen peroxide-based advanced oxidation. The paper also examines the potential threats posed by these chemicals to drinking water and public health.While these compounds are known to have adverse effects on ecosystem health, notably in the fish population, a similar link is yet to be established between ingestion of these compounds through drinking water and human health. In addition, data on the effectiveness of existing methods for the removal of these compounds are not conclusive. Further studies are required to characterize risks, and also to evaluate and optimize existing removal processes. Also concerted international effort is urgent to cut down the risk of exposure and restrain the production and marketing of toxic chemicals.

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Indirect human exposure to pharmaceuticals via drinking water

Cited by 319 publications

References 18 publications

Emerging contaminants in surface waters and their relevance for the production of drinking water in Europe

Emerging contaminants in surface waters and their relevance for the production of drinking water in Europe

Treatment of micropollutants in municipal wastewater: Ozone or powdered activated carbon?

Endocrine disrupting compounds (EDCs) and pharmaceuticals and personal care products (PPCPs) in the aquatic environment: implications for the drinking water industry and global environmental health

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