Detection of Pharmaceuticals in the Environment

In this chapter, for articles addressing drugs as pollutants of natural and wastewater, we discuss the temporal distribution of studies, as well as the main countries of origin for such studies. Focus is given to those articles with more than 200 citations. The main sampling techniques, sample extraction, and detection methods accepted by the USEPA and USGS (based on LC-MS/MS and LC-MS) are reviewed, as well as those methods not based on MS, between 2014 and 2017. From this analysis, we propose directions for future research. Finally, a case study is presented that addresses the analysis of the surface waters of the Izúcar de Matamoros region and the Atoyac River in Puebla, as well as the Zahuapan River in Tlaxcala, Mexico. By GC/MS, quantitative determination of naproxen, diclofenac, and triclosan, at stations on the Zahuapan (Tlaxcala), Atoyac, and Nexapa (Puebla) rivers, was performed during the period of 2012–2013. We found that 30% of the publications related with drugs as pollutants of natural and wastewater were published between 2014 and 2017. Spain has published the most of such articles (accounting for 25% of all publications). Three of the articles have more than 1,000 citations. HPLC/MS/MS was the most commonly used method, followed by GC/MS. However, less sophisticated detection alternatives were also used. GC/MS was used to demonstrate the presence of naproxen, diclofenac, triclosan, and carbamazepine in the Mexican Central Plateau and the inability of the wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) to remove completely these contaminants.