Fate of selected pharmaceuticals and personal care products after secondary wastewater treatment processes in Taiwan
Journal
Water Science and Technology
Journal Volume
62
Journal Issue
10
Pages
2450-2458
Date Issued
2010
Author(s)
Abstract
Pharmaceuticals and personal care products (PPCPs) constitute a class of chemicals of emerging concern due to the potential risks they pose to organisms and the environment, even at low concentrations (ng/L). Recent studies have found that PPCPs are not efficiently removed in secondary wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs). This study has: (1) simultaneously investigated the occurrence of sixty-one PPCPs using solid phase extraction and high-performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry, (2) evaluated removal efficiencies of target PPCPs in six WWTPs that discharge effluents into major Taiwanese rivers, and lastly (3) examined matrix interference during analysis of target PPCPs in water samples. The twenty target PPCPs were chosen for their high detection frequencies, high influent concentrations, and stability during wastewater treatment processes. Caffeine and acetaminophen were detected at the highest concentrations (as high as 24,467 and 33,400 ng/L) and were effectively removed (both >96%); other PPCPs were detected in the high ng/L range but were not effectively removed. Matrix interference (by ion suppression or enhancement) during the analysis resulted in underestimation of the removal efficiencies of erythromycin-H2O, cefazolin, clarithromycin, ibuprofen, diclofenac, clofibric acid and gemfibrozil. © IWA Publishing 2010.
Subjects
Matrix interference; Pharmaceuticals; Wastewater treatment
SDGs
Other Subjects
Clarithromycin; Clofibric acid; Detection frequency; Diclofenac; Discharge effluents; Gemfibrozils; High influent concentration; High-performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry; Ion suppression; Low concentrations; Matrix interference; Pharmaceuticals; Pharmaceuticals and personal care products; Potential risks; Removal efficiencies; Solid-phase extraction; Wastewater treatment plants; Wastewater treatment process; Water samples; Drug products; Effluents; Extraction; Liquid chromatography; Mass spectrometry; Reclamation; Removal; Wastewater; Water treatment plants; Wastewater treatment; ampicillin; antibiotic agent; beta adrenergic receptor stimulating agent; caffeine; cefalexin; cefazolin; cefradine; chlortetracycline; clarithromycin; clofibric acid; cloxacillin; diclofenac; erythromycin; fenoprofen; gemfibrozil; ibuprofen; ketoprofen; naproxen; nonsteroid antiinflammatory agent; paracetamol; psychostimulant agent; psychotropic agent; sulfadimidine; sulfamethoxazole; tetracycline; vasodilator agent; antibiotics; liquid chromatography; mass spectrometry; organic nitrogen compound; waste treatment; wastewater; article; concentration (parameters); high performance liquid chromatography; personal hygiene; river; solid phase extraction; Taiwan; tandem mass spectrometry; waste component removal; waste water management; water sampling; Cosmetics; Pharmaceutical Preparations; Taiwan; Waste Disposal, Fluid; Water; Water Purification
Type
journal article