Monitoring the concentrations of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs and cyclooxygenase-inhibiting activities in the surface waters of the Tone Canal and Edo River Basin

Abstract

Environmental pollution by pharmaceuticals has become a major problem in many countries worldwide. However, little is known about the concentrations of pharmaceuticals in water sources in Japan. The objective of this study was to clarify variations in the concentrations of seven nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) and in cyclooxygenase(COX)-inhibiting activities in river water and domestic wastewater collected from the Tone Canal and the Edo River Basin in Japan. Total NSAID concentrations were higher in the Tone Canal than in the Edo River, and the highest concentration was observed at the domestic wastewater inflow point located in the Tone Canal (concentration averages of salicylic acid, ibuprofen, felbinac, naproxen, mefenamic acid, diclofenac, and ketoprofen in wastewater samples were 55.3, 162.9, 39.7, 11.8, 30.8, 259.7, and 48.3 ng L(-1), respectively). Gas chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry showed that wastewater samples collected during cooler seasons contained higher levels of COX-inhibiting activity. COX-inhibiting activities were highly correlated with NSAID concentrations (particularly for ketoprofen and diclofenac); however, other COX inhibitors, such as NSAIDs that were not examined in this study and/or other chemicals with COX-inhibiting activity, could exist in the water samples because the concentrations of NSAIDs obtained from the water samples did not account for the total COX-inhibiting activities observed. Therefore, COX inhibition assays may be helpful for evaluating the aquatic toxicity of COX inhibitors. In this study, we demonstrated that COX inhibitors in surface water may influence aquatic organisms more than was expected based on NSAID concentrations. Thus, further studies examining other COX inhibitors in the aquatic environment are necessary.

Potentiometric Sensing of Nonsteroidal Painkillers by Acyclic Squaramide Ionophores

“…For each receptor, the amount of added anion-exchanger varied in a different range (from 0.2 to 6 eq) to stabilize membrane neutrality and to ensure the analyte anions’ membrane permselectivity. The sensitivity tests of L1 – L5 -based membranes were carried out across the KF – and NS – concentration range of 1.0 × 10 –7 –1.0 × 10 –4 mol/L, chosen in accordance with the amounts of KF – and NS – ions in wastewater , (about 10 –9 –10 –6 mol/L) and in common pharmaceutical compositions , (about 10 –4 mol/L and higher). All of the tested ISEs demonstrated that the anionic sensitivity toward both analytes varied upon the variation of the receptor/anion-exchanger ratio; Table .…”

“…Moreover, being toxic for biota, NSAIDs may cause serious environmental damage. Indeed, the concentration of NSAIDs in the environment increases dramatically from about 10 –11 mol/L in natural water 3 to 10 –6 mol/L in wastewater. 4 Hence, there is a need for very sensitive methods to monitor and detect these NSAIDs in a natural environment.…”

Can Ultrasound Therapy Be an Environmental-Friendly Alternative to Non-Steroidal Anti-Inflammatory Drugs in Knee Osteoarthritis Treatment?

“…Despite the NSAIDs concentrations detected in groundwater in most countries being under the potential environmental significant level, this should not eliminate the concern and the attempt to reduce the use of NSAIDs. Now, it is demonstrated that in surface water the COX inhibitors, a subclass of NSAIDs, may influence aquatic organisms more than was expected based on NSAIDs concentration [ 70 ]. Moreover, recent studies have proposed to decrease the upper limits for this group of drugs in drinking water [ 24 ].…”