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(M/EH058) Relevance of iodinated x-ray contrast media in ground and surface waters in Baden-Wuerttemberg, Germany. Sacher, Frank1, Lange, Frank Thomas1, Brauch, Heinz-Juergen1, Metzinger, Melanie1, Wenz, Michael1, Blankenhorn, Iris2, Lehmann, Markus2, 1 2 ABSTRACT- Due to an incomplete elimination in waste water treatment plants, residues of pharmaceutical products have been found in waste and surface waters. Initiated and financially supported by the Federal Ministry for Environment and Transport in Baden-Wuerttemberg a research project was started aiming at the systematic investigation of the occurrence of drugs and endocrine disrupting chemicals in the ground and surface waters of Baden-Wuerttemberg. During an extensive monitoring it was found that out of a list of 74 target compounds some representatives of the class of the iodinated x-ray contrast media were detected most often and at the highest concentration levels both, in surface waters and groundwaters. Especially amidotrizoic acid (ditrizoate) and iopamidol were regularly found in surface waters and in groundwaters, whereby concentrations sometimes raised up to the Key words: x-ray contrast media, iodinated compounds, surface water, groundwater |
g/l level. In most cases the concentrations of the x-ray contrast media correlate very well to the concentration of sewage markers like boron, indicating that sewage is the main source of these compounds. Iodinated x-ray contrast media are used in Germany in amounts of up to 100 t/a. Data given in the literature indicate that these xenobiotic compounds are not easily biodegradable, nor in waste water treatment plants neither under the conditions of subsoil passage. x-ray contrast media have proven during their registration procedure that they do not have physiologic activity on humans and are of low toxicity, but less or nothing is known on the fate and the effects of possible metabolites in aquatic systems.