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(03-01) Occurrence of Pharmaceuticals in STP Effluents and their Solar Photodegradation in Water. Andreozzi, Roberto*,1, Marotta, Raffaele1, Paxeus, Nicklas2, 1 University of Naples "Federico II" -, Naples -, Italy -2 GRYAAB, Göteborg Regional Sewage Works -, Göteborg -, Sweden - ABSTRACT- The presence of pharmaceutical compounds in surface waters is an emerging environmental issue. Sewage Treatment Plants (STP) are recognized to be the main source of these substances for the environment. A monitoring campaign on STP effluents was carried out in four european countries (Italy, France, Greece and Sweden). More than 20 individual pharmaceuticals belonging to different therapeutic classes were found. For some of identified pharmaceuticals (carbamazepine, diclofenac, clofibric acid, ofloxacin, sulfamethoxazole, propranolol and benzafibrate) the persistence towards abiotic photodegradation was evaluated by submitting them to solar experiments at 40 N latitude during spring and summer. Quantum yield for the direct photolysis in distilled water was measured for each individual substance by using an actinometric solution of p-nitroacetophenone in pyridine. On the basis of these results half-life times were predicted for all the compounds studied at varying seasons and latitude. The effect of the presence of humic acids and nitrate was also evaluated. The results of this investigation indicates that some of the studied compounds are chracterized by half-life times of the order of hundreds days at the highest latitudes in winter Key words: pharmaceuticals, persistence, photodegradation |
