Fate and analysis of pharmaceutical residues in the aquatic environment

The presence of pharmaceuticals in different compartments of the environment is a new challenge not only for technologists of water and wastewater treatment but also for analytical chemists involved in development of new analytical methods. Many drugs are not completely degraded in the human body. They are often excreted after only slight transformation or in unchanged form, mainly as polar molecules (clofibric acid, primidone). It has been proved in many studies that substances of pharmaceutical origin are not eliminated in the process of water treatment; their biodegradation in the environment is also difficult (1). Detailed chemical analysis of water is necessary for the safe use of water resources. It is important to identify all pollutants present in water and, hence, to fully evaluate water quality and predict effect on humans. The continuous improvement of analytical techniques makes it possible to identify a wider spectrum of components and improve detection limits. A brief review of input by different sources, and fate and analysis of pharmaceuticals, parapharmaceuticals, and their metabolites in environment is presented.