Suchergebnisse

AbstractDespite the fact that there are tens of thousands of thermal baths in existence, knowledge about the occurrence of pharmaceutically active compounds (PhACs) in untreated thermal wastewater is very limited. Because used thermal water is typically legally discharged into surface waters without any treatment, the effluent poses environmental risks for the receiving water bodies. The aim of this study was to show the occurrence patterns and spatiotemporal characteristics of 111 PhACs in thermal wastewater. Six thermal water outflows of different thermal baths were tested in different seasons in the Budapest metropolitan region (Hungary), and diurnal analysis was performed. After solid-phase extraction, the samples were analysed and quantified by coupling supercritical fluid chromatography and mass spectrometry to perform simultaneous multi-residue drug analysis. The results confirm that water discharge pipes directly transport pharmaceuticals into surface water bodies; 34 PhACs were measured to be over the limit of quantification at least once, and 21 of them were found in more than one water sample. The local anaesthetic drug lidocaine, antiepileptic carbamazepine, analgesic derivative tramadol and illicit drug cocaine were detected in more than half of the samples. Caffeine, metoprolol and bisoprolol (cardiovascular drugs), benzoylecgonine (cocaine metabolite), diclofenac (NSAID), citalopram (antidepressant) and certain types of hormones also have a significant frequency of 30-50%. However, the occurrence and concentrations of PhACs vary according to the season and number/types of visitors. As demonstrated by the diurnal fluctuation, drug contamination of thermal waters can significantly vary, even for similar types of baths; furthermore, the quantity and types of some pollutants rapidly change in the discharged thermal wastewater.

Contamination of drugs by microorganisms may arise during manufacturing, storage or use by the consumers, and can ultimately result in several undesirable consequences. This study was carried out to determine the prevalence of microbial contaminants from commonly administered drugs sold in Lafia Local Government Area, Nasarawa State, Nigeria. Two hundred and forty (240) drug samples comprising 80 samples each from tablets, syrups and ointments were sourced from various outlets and analyzed using aseptic standard culture, and serological methods. The result indicates that 13.75% of the samples were contaminated. The prevalence of microorganisms isolated among the drugs types include 17(21.25%), 11(13.58%), and 5(6.25%) for tablets, syrups and ointments respectively. The prevalence of bacterial species isolated from the drugs samples include Escherichia coli (4.58%), Staphylococcus aureus (3.33%), Pseudomonas aeruginosa (2.08%) and Klebsiella pneumoniae (1.25%), while fungal species include Aspergilus flavus (1.66%) and Aspergilus niger (0.83%). Escherichia coli isolated showed resistance to gentamycin 5(45.50%) and septrin 3(27.30%), while Staphylococcus aureus isolates showed resistance to septrin 2(25.00%) and erythromycin 2(25.00%). The pathogenic and opportunistic pathogens isolated in this study pose a threat to drugs users especially immuno-compromised individuals and public health management because the source may not be suspected. Some of the isolates demonstrate multi-drugs resistance to the antibiotics tested. Periodical examination of drugs and antibiogram should be carried out in other to reduce the risk of infections associated with drugs contamination.

Description based on: Feb. 14, 1986. ; Feb. 14, 1986. ; Shipping list no.: 86-216-P. ; Mode of access: Internet.

Pharmaceuticals, such as non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) and their metabolites, have become a major concern due to their increasing consumption and their widespread occurrence in the environment. In this paper, we investigate the occurrence of NSAIDs and their metabolites in an urban aquifer, which may serve as a potential resource for drinking water, and propose a methodology to assess the removal of these substances in the river–groundwater interface. Then, risk quotients (RQs) are computed, in order to determine the risk posed by the single NSAIDs and their mixture to human health. To this end, six NSAIDs and two metabolites were collected from an urban aquifer located in the metropolitan area of Barcelona (NE, Spain), in which the major pollution source is a contaminated river. All of the target NSAIDs were detected in groundwater samples, where the concentrations in the aquifer were higher than those found in the river water (except for ibuprofen). Diclofenac, ketoprofen, propyphenazone and salicylic acid were detected at high mean concentrations (ranging from 91.8 ng/L to 225.2 ng/L) in the aquifer. In contrast, phenazone and mefenamic acid were found at low mean concentrations (i.e., lower than 25 ng/L) in the aquifer. According to the proposed approach, the mixing of river water recharge into the aquifer seemed to some extent to promote the removal of the NSAIDs under the sub-oxic to denitrifying conditions found in the groundwater. The NSAIDs that presented higher mean removal values were 4OH diclofenac (0.8), ibuprofen (0.78), salicylic acid (0.35) and diclofenac (0.28), which are likely to be naturally attenuated under the aforementioned redox conditions. Concerning human health risk assessment, the NSAIDs detected in groundwater and their mixture do not pose any risk for all age intervals considered, as the associated RQs were all less than 0.05. Nevertheless, this value must be taken with caution, as many pharmaceuticals might occur simultaneously in the groundwater. ; IDAEA-CSIC is a Centre of Excellence Severo Ochoa (Spanish Ministry of Science and Innovation, Project CEX2018-000794-S). A. J gratefully acknowledges the support from the Secretary for Universities and Research of the Ministry of Economy and Knowledge of the Government of Catalonia and the Marie Sklodowska-Curie COFUND of the programme H2020 (BP3, contract number 801370). The authors would like to thank the European Commission, the Spanish Foundation for Science & Technology (FECYT) and State Research Agency (AEI)) for funding in the frame of the collaborative international consortium (URBANWAT) financed under the 2018 Joint call of the WaterWorks2017 ERA-NET Cofund. This ERA-NET is an integral part of the activities developed by the Water JPI. Additionally, authors would also thank the Ministry of Science, Innovation and Universities, for funding the projects UNBIASED (Ref: RTI2018-097346-B-I00) under the 2018 call of the "Proyectos de I+D Retos Investigación" and INTEGRATE (Ref: PID2019-107945RJ-I00) under the 2019 call of the "Proyectos de I+D Retos Investigación". ; Peer reviewed

This study aims to evaluate the potential role of pillboxes used for the preparation and delivery of individual daily medical treatments in the drug circuit of the Military Instruction Hospital (France) as reservoirs of bacterial contaminants. Samples were obtained from 32 pillboxes after decontamination (T1), after preparation in the pharmacy (T2), after use in two different medical units (T3), and again after usual mechanical washing (T4). Qualitative (identification and antibiotic susceptibility) and quantitative (contamination rate and number of colony forming units&mdash ; CFUs) bacteriological tests were performed. Susceptible and resistant strains of environmental saprophytes were identified. The pillbox contamination rate was relatively low at T1 (13%). It was significantly increased at T2 (63%, p = 0.001 vs. T1), again at T3 (88%, p < ; 0.05 vs. T2, p < ; 0.001 vs. T1), and finally decreased dramatically at T4 (31%, p < ; 0.001 vs. T3, p > ; 0.05 vs. T1). The number of CFUs was significantly increased at T2 compared with that of T1 (36.7 ± ; 13.4 and 5.36 ± ; 3.64, respectively, p < ; 0.001) and again at T3 (84.4 ± ; 19.4, p < ; 0.001 vs. T1 and T2) and was significantly reduced at T4 (7.0 ± ; 2.0 vs. T3, p < ; 0.001) to a level that was not significantly different from that at T1. So, the use of pillboxes to deliver individual medications to patients in the hospital is a potential risk factor for bacterial cross-contamination.