PPCPs and Their Impact on Our EnvironmentBy Cori LeBerth

IntroductionNorth America = Greatest producers and consumers of Pharmaceuticals and Personal Care Products (PPCPs)Some of these products include;PrescriptionsAntibacterial hand soapFragrancesShampoo/ConditionerShaving CreamCosmeticsInsect Repellant

IntroductionTraces of pharmaceuticals in waste water were reportedly found as far back as the 1960s and 1970s50 to 90% of medical substances that people ingest are excreted through urine and feces.Most substances remain unchanged or become metabolites, which can be even more toxicThe effects of PPCPs are not well known in the aquatic environmentWaste Water Treatment Plants are unable to remove most PPCPs

IntroductionSt. Lawrence RiverIs one example of an affected aquatic ecosystemEstrogen contaminants can be detected 50km up and down stream of MontrealPPCPs are found as far as 8km down stream from the WWTPPopulation of nearly 1.8 million people live in the BasinThere is still no universally accepted analysis of PPCPs in the aquatic environment

Prescription DrugsChemical properties of pharmaceuticals allow them to bioaccumulate in the aquatic environmentMany chemicals act as endocrine disruptorsEndocrine disruptors affect reproduction and development of aquatic organismsMetabolites of pharmaceuticals can be more toxic than the original compoundFind their way into the ecosystem through human waste or disposal

Endocrine DisruptorsEndocrines regulate normal function of all organ systemsDisruptors mimic or block the natural endogenous hormonesSmall disruptions to normal endocrine function has lasting effectsEffects includeDisruption of natural hormonal balanceMasculinization of females/Feminization of malesReduction of fertilityNeurological impairmentsBirth defectsMany PPCPs and synthetic chemicals act as endocrine disruptors

AntibioticsCiprofloxacin, Sulfamethazole, Trimethoprim, Amoxicillin, etc.Found in WWTP effluent due to incomplete metabolizationCiprofloxacinSecond generation FluoroquinoloneNegatively affects good bacteria like leaf litter bacteriaAquatic invertebrates obtain 20-40% of their carbon from bacteriaLeaf litter processing is important for carbon cycling in aquatic ecosystemsDisrupting the food supply of lower trophic levels (i.e. killing bacteria) affects the functioning of upper trophic levelsSome scientists worry that overexposure to antibiotics will cause super immune bacteriaThis is a threat to the whole biosphere

7

Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors (SSRIs)SSRIs are commonly known as antidepressantsIncreases serotonin levels by binding to postsynaptic receptorsWeak affinity as a dopamine transporterDopamine is an amine that acts as a neurotransmitterInadequate levels of dopamine causes neurological disorders including ADHD, Parkinsons Disease, and SchizophreniaCommon SSRIs includeFluoxetine (Prozac)Sertraline (Zoloft)Venlafaxine (Effexor)Citalopram (Celexa)

Fluoxetine (Prozac)Fluoxetine and its cousin Fluvoxamine have been found in most WWTP effluentSpecific study has found that Fluoxetine affects reproduction and development of freshwater musselsFoot enlargementAffects spawning ratesMussels live in sediment which causes more bioaccumulation due to longer exposure to toxins70% of 300 freshwater mussels are threatened or extinct

Venlafaxine (Effexor) and Citalopram (Celexa)Impacts aquatic lifeIncreases phototaxis/geotaxis in cladocerans which increases their predationAffects reproduction rates of amphipodsStriped Bass exposed to SSRIs have reduced ability to capture preyCauses Snails to detach from substrateDetachment is controlled through dopaminergic neurons Mortality by predation, desiccation, transport to unsuitable habitat, and inability to feed due to detachment from substrateSnails have broad geographic distribution therefore theres a high potential to affect a large population

Venlafaxine (Effexor) and Citalopram (Celexa)Found to occur in wastewater at concentrations as much as 10 times greater than fluoxetineLowest effective concentration (LOEC) was 313 pg/L (venlafaxine) which is 7 thousand times less than the concentration found in wastewaterLOEC was 405 pg/L (citalopram) which was five times lower than the average concentration found in wastewaterThey have the lowest LOECs of any SSRIExtremely low concentrations of these medications have a huge impact on the aquatic environment

11

Pharmaceuticals and Personal Care ProductsCompounds from each category have been found in fish blood and tissueFluoxetine, its metabolite norfluoxetine, and sertraline have been found in fish tissueMost sources of PPCPs are from point sources such as WWTP effluentAquatic organisms are continuously exposed to these chemicals from WWTP effluentsCauses bioaccumulation in organisms due to length of exposure

Personal Care ProductsTriclosan (TCS)Chemical found in antibacterial soapNot completely removed from WWTPStable compound and is readily bioavailable to organismsBioaccumulation depends on concentration and exposure lengthMolecular structure resembles nonsteroidal estrogensIn tests, TCS reduced testosterone production and disrupts other steroidogenic processesFound to be an endocrine disrupting agentDetected in human milk, plasma, and urine indicating bioaccumulationFound to result in changes to fin length and masculination of fish fryImportant to study its affects on the environment due to its extensive use and occurrence in WWTP effluent

Wastewater Treatment Plants (WWTP)Unable to remove most PPCPsMost pharmaceutical compounds are polar and their properties allow them to escape sedimentation and biological treatment in WWTPsNot all WWTPs have a biological stage which leads to poor biodegradation of pharmaceuticals

Effects on Ground WaterPharmaceuticals from human waste can be found in sewage, septic systems, and septic leach fieldsSeptic effluent can potentially leach into underlying aquifers depending on soil structure12 of 22 chemicals studied were found in septic effluent in a Missoula, MT high schoolSome pharmaceuticals were found in unconfined aquifers which could then be transported by the ground water in measurable concentrations

Potential SolutionsOzone (O3) OxidationFound to be an effective disinfectant and powerful oxidizerReacts with organic contaminants through direct reaction or through formation of free radicalsStudies have shown that 90% of PPCPs found in effluent was reduced to an almost undetectable level2 minutes of Ozone contact time was sufficient to remove the majority of contaminantsViable cost effective option to treat waste water over current methodsDrawbacks however-most ozone doses do not cause mineralization therefore by products will be generatedBy-products were found to no longer be estrogenic

Ozone Oxidation

Table 11 shows the effectiveness of Ozone Oxidation Treatment

Potential SolutionsPharmaceutical take back programsAllow consumers to dispose of their PPCPs in an environmentally friendly wayMany communities offer this service but mostly in urban areasPossibly have medical clinics offer this service in order to promote proper disposal in the easiest way possible for the consumerhttp://dontrushtoflush.org/

ReferencesBringolf, R.B. et al. 2010. Environmental Occurrence and Reproductive Effects of the Pharmaceutical Fluoxetine in Native Freshwater Mussels. Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry. 29-6: 1311-1318.Fong, P.P. and C.M. Hoy. 2012. Antidepressants (Venlafaxine and Citalopram) cause foot detachment from the substrate in freshwater snails at environmentally relevant concentrations. Marine and Freshwater Behavior and Physiology. 45-2: 145-153.Godfrey, Emily et al. 2007. Pharmaceuticals in On-Site Sewage Effluent and Ground Water, Western Montana. Ground Water. 45-3: 263-271.Maul, J.D. et al. 2006. Effects of the Anitbiotic Ciprofloxacin on Stream Microbial Communities and Detritivorous Macroinvertebrates. Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry. 25-6: 1598-1606.Ramirez, A.J. et al. 2009. Occurrence of Pharmaceuticals and Personal Care Products in Fish: Results of a National Pilot Study in the United States. Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry. 28-12: 2587-2597.Raut, S.A. et al. 2010. Triclosan has Endocrine-Disrupting Effects in Male Western Mosquitofish Gambusia affinis. Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry. 29-6: 1287-1291.Robinson, Isabelle et al. 2007. Trends in the Detection of Pharmaceutical Products and Their Impact and Mitigation in Water and Wastewater in North America. Analytical and Bioanalytical Chemistry. 387: 1143-1151.Snyder, S.A. et al. 2006. Ozone Oxidation of Endocrine Disruptors and Pharmaceuticals in Surface Water and Wastewater. Ozone: Science and Engineering. 28: 445-460.

SoundJay.com Sound Effectsnull20256.0