PH06 Agrochemicals, Pesticides, Pharmaceuticals
Exhibit Hall
8:00 AM - Thursday
(PH051) Survey of human use pharmaceuticals in the Chesapeake Bay.
Pait, A1, Warner, R1, Hartwell, S1, 1 NOAA, National Centers for Coastal Ocean Science, Silver Spring, Maryland, USA
ABSTRACT- Pharmaceutical drugs are used in significant quantities in the U.S. Excretion or disposal of these compounds, followed by incomplete degradation in wastewater treatment facilities can result in their discharge to surface waters. There is concern that the presence of these biologically active compounds could impact the aquatic environment. To begin investigating this possibility in coastal waters, a limited survey was conducted adjacent to selected wastewater treatment facilities in the Chesapeake Bay. Thirteen of 24 compounds analyzed for in water samples were detected, and included antibiotics, antidepressants, blood pressure/anginal medications and analgesics/antipyretics. Also found were caffeine along with a nicotine metabolite. At two of the wastewater treatment facilities (Back River and Patapsco), water samples were collected at the outfall, and at 1, 5, and 10 km downstream. Concentrations declined with distance from the facility, however, there were still a few detections of pharmaceuticals 10 kilometers downstream. The effect of the concentrations found on estuarine organisms is unknown.
Key words: Chesapeake Bay, pharmaceuticals, NOAA