Occurrence of Pharmaceuticals and Personal
Care Products in the Aqueous Environment
Dr Akanksha Singh Kachhawaha
Assistant Professor
Gujarat Forensic Sciences University
Pharmaceuticals and personal care products (PPCPs) are a unique group of emerging
environmental contaminants, due to their inherent ability to induce physiological effects in
human at low doses
https://www.google.co.in/search?newwindow=1&biw=1366&bpharmaceuticals+and+personal+care+product&oq
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Occ
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SURFACE WATER
GROUND WATER
SOIL
LANDFILL
Occ
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tUSAGE
TOILET SURFACE WATER
GROUND WATER
SOIL
LANDFILLSTPs
Occ
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tDISPOSALUSAGE
TOILET
DOMESTIC SOLID WASTE
SINK / TOILETS
SURFACE WATER
GROUND WATER
SOIL
LANDFILLSTPs
DISPOSALUSAGE
TOILET
DOMESTIC SOLID WASTE
SINK / TOILETS
SURFACE WATER
GROUND WATER
SOIL
LANDFILLWWTPs
ETPsDRINKING
WATER
WWTPs (major sources of PPCPs
contamination in water as they are not
efficient in removing these micropollutants)
The toxins make their way up the
food chain
Irrigation with PPCPs contaminated
water results in uptake of these
compounds by plants
End up in oceans where fishes and
other aquatic organisms absorb them
Fate in Environment
AQUEOUSENVIRONMENT
STP effluent
Industrial discharge
Street run off
Landfill leaching
Photodegradation
Volatilization
Microbial degradation
Sorption
Transformation
Bioaccumulation
Pseudo - Persistence Bioaccumulation
Ecological Risks
Endocrine disruption
Antibiotic resistance
Combined toxicity?
10
COVID-19 and
Antimicrobial Resistance
• South Africa, with already ARV-
polluted water, can expect a
dramatic increase in the amount
of active pharmaceutical
ingredients
• Concerns regarding personal
protective equipment (PPEs)
• Triclosan, triclocarbon etc. in
sanitisers may pose
environmental problems
https://ore.exeter.ac.uk/repository/bitstream/handle/10871/121037/fmicb-11-01020.pdf?sequence=1&isAllowed=y
Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, higher concentrations of biocides are likely to be detected in wastewater treatment plants –AMR Risk
Final concentration in environment is
key.
If very high?
If below the minimum inhibitory
concentration?
PPCPs
Method Development
& Monitoring
Fate, Transport &
Uptake
Toxicity & Risk
Mitigation
Scope of Research
METHOD
Selection of target compounds
(A) Detailed survey of literature
List of frequently detected PPCPs in water
List of PPCPs hazardous to aquatic organisms
(B) A Mini-survey in Nagpur
nzb
30 Clinics
17 Pharmacies
Interaction with doctors and chemists
Selected Analytes
(19)
AnalgesicsAntibiotics
AcetaminophenNaproxen
Erythromycin
Sulphamethoxazole
Trimethoprim
Ciprofloxacin
PCPs
TriclosanMethyl ParabenEthyl ParabenPropyl ParabenButyl Paraben
Antidiabetic
Metformin
Cardiovasculars
Valsartan
Atenolol
Metoprolol
Propranolol
Gemfibrozil
List of most widely prescribed drugs
SSRI
Fluoxetine
Antiepileptic
Carbamezepine
DETECTIONEXTRACTION
Liquid -liquid extraction
SPME
Stir bar sorptive extraction
Ultrasonic \
Solid Phase Extraction (SPE)
QuEChERS (Quick, Easy, Cheap,
Effective, Rugged, Safe)
SEPARATION
Colum Chromatography
Thin Layer Chromatography
Gas Chromatography
Liquid Chromatography (LC)
UV/VIS / PDA
Fluorescence
RI
TCD
ECD
Mass spectrometer (MS)
SPE / QuEChERS LC MS/MS
Solid Phase Extraction
H2O+ MeCN+ MgSO4
+ NH4OAc
Separation of aqueous and organic layer
Pipette out 5 mL from the upper organic layer
Transfer in a test tube and add ammonia
Centrifuge for 5 min at 5000 rpm
Vortex for 2 min
Nitrogen drying Injection
QuEChERS/Modified
QuEChERS
QuEChERS- 10 mL sample + 10 mL MeCN + 4g MgSO4 + 1 g NaCl
Modified
QuEChERS- 10 mL sample + 10 mL MeCN + 4g MgSO4 + NH4OAc
https://www.ingentaconnect.com/content/aoac/jaoac/2017/00000100/00000003/art00004
SPE vs QuEChERS
SPE
Very sensitive
Well established
Can achieve very low LODs and LOQs
X Expensive
X Tedious
X Skilled manpower
X Matrix interferences
QuEChERS
Very cheap
Easy
No skill required
A clean method
X Effective for only screening
Monitoring- River Nag,
Nagpur, India
Google Earth Image of River Nag
Drug occurrence pattern –
India and the UK
River Nag, India River Foss, UK
Ambazari lake
York (UK)
Nagpur (India)
River Pili
River Nag
River Kanhan
River Nag
River Kanhan
Bhandewadi Upstream
City CentreBhandewadi Downstream
Nag-Pili Confluence
Nag-Pili Downstream
Nag-kanhanDownstream
Nag-kanhanConfluence
Nag-kanhanUpstream
Sam
pli
ng
Sit
es
Methodology
Sample size- 10 mL in amber colored vials (filtered in the field with a 0.7 µm syringe filter)
Method- (HPLC-MS/MS method originally developed by Furlong et al. (No. 5-B10. US Geological Survey, 2014)
Instrument- Thermo Endura triple quardupole mass spectrometer operated in multiple reaction monitoring modeColumn- Eclipse C18 Plus chromatography column
LOD- 0.9 ng/L (carbamazepine) to 12.4 (gabapentin)
Mobile phase A is HPLC-grade water with 0.01M formic acid and 0.01M
ammonium formate while mobile phase B is 100% methanol.
ANALGESICS
Lidocaine
Naproxen
Paracetamol
ANTIBIOTICS
Ciprofloxacin
Clarithromycin
Erythromycin
Metronidazole
Sulfamethoxazole
Trimethoprim
ANTIHISTAMINE
Ceterizine
Diphenhydramine
Fexofenadine
Ketotifen
Loratadine
ANTIDEPRESSANT
Amitriptyline
Citalopram
Desvenlafaxine
Venlafaxine
ANTIVIRAL
Oseltamivir
BETA BLOCKERS
Atenolol
Propranolol
ANTIHYPERGLYCEMIC
Metformin
Sitagliptin
CALCIUM
CHANEL
BLOCKERS
Diltiazem
Verapamil
BENZODIAZEPINE
Diazepam
Oxazepam
Temazepam
DIURECTIC
Triamterene
β2 ADRENERGIC RECEPTOR AGONIST (ANTI-ASTHMA)
SalbutamolSELECTIVE ESTROGEN RECEPTOR MODULATOR
Raloxifene
ORAL
CONTRACEPTIVE
Noreistherone
Opioid pain
medication
Codeine
Hydrocodone
Tramadol
HISTAMINE H2
RECEPTOR
Cimetidine
Ranitidine
ANTIEPILEPTIC
Carbamezepine
Gabapentin
Pharmaceutical concentrations (Nagpur, India)
Analgesic Antibiotic
Antidepressant Anti-epileptic
Antihistamine Antihyperglycemic
Beta-Blocker Calcium channel blocker
Histamine H2 receptor antagonist Opioid pain medication
Pharmaceutical concentrations (York, UK)
Analgesic Antibiotic
Antidepressant Anti-epileptic
Antihistamine Antihyperglycemic
Beta-Blocker Calcium channel blocker
Histamine H2 receptor antagonist Opioid pain medication
Metformin Sitaliptin Metformin Sitagliptin
Nagpur, India York, UK
Antihyperglycemic drugs
(Metformin + Sitagliptin)
https://www.diabetesresearchclinicalpractice.com/article/S0168-8227(20)30433-2/pdf
1. Identification of PPCPs and situations that research should be
focussed on
2. Understanding how PPCPs get into the natural environment
3. Uptake of PPCPs from the environment into organisms
4. Assessment of effects on organisms
5. Assessment of risks to people and the environment
6. Antibiotic resistance
7. Management of risks
The Big Questions
TOP 20 QUESTIONS ABOUT PPCPCs
IN THE ENVIRONMENT
fall into seven categories
34
https://ehp.niehs.nih.gov/doi/full/10.1289/ehp.1104477
WHY ONE SHOULD WORRY ABOUT SUPERBUGS AND
PRACTICE VEGANISM?Based on a scientific review conducted in the UK, it was found that
"if no solutions are found, multi-resistant microbes (superbugs) will
result in a global crisis with more human deaths in 2050 than
cancer today – the majority in the poorer regions of Africa and
Asia". Now, Indians are reported to have the highest levels of
resistant bacteria.
Due to lack of standard treatment guidelines, antibiotics are often
overprescribed by healthcare workers, veterinarians, etc. and the
global predicted consumption of antimicrobials in livestock will also
likely increase by 67% from 2010 to 2030. India also lacks
systematic control of antibiotics residues in dairy products.
The dangerous rise in antibiotic resistance in the world has
threatened our ability to treat even common infections, such as
pneumonia, tuberculosis, gonorrhea, and foodborne diseases.
When such diseases can no longer be treated by the first line of
antibiotics, the use of more expensive medicines will result in
increased health care costs and economic burdens. "Without
urgent action, we are heading for a post-antibiotic era, in which
common infections and minor injuries can once again kill".
To safeguard our future generations I urge everyone to follow an
organic-based vegan diet which is completely free from all type of
antibiotics.
AcknowledgementMy PhD guides and MentorsDr Pawan Labhasetwar
Sr. Principal Scientist & Head, WT&MDCSIR-NEERI, IndiaDr Pranav Nagarnaik
Sr. Scientist, WT&MDCSIR-NEERI, IndiaDr Kaushik Banerjee
Principal ScientistICAR-NRCG, India
UK Activity leadDr Alistair Boxall
Professor, Environment DepartmentUniversity of York, UKDr John Wilkinson
Post doctoral fellow
University of York, UK
My fellow Researchers and FriendsKaushal Iyengar
Sydney Waters, AustraliaDr Sanjeeb Mohapatra
IIT, Mumbai, India
Gujarat Forensic Sciences University
India UK Water Centre
CSIR-NEERI
ICAR-NRCG-NRL
University of York
Occurrence of Pharmaceuticals and Personal Care
Products in the Aqueous Environment
Thank You for your attention
Questions? (Remember to use the Questions Pane)
Dr. Akanksha Singh Kachhawaha
Assistant Professor
Gujarat Forensic Sciences University
E-mail- [email protected],