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ENVIRONMENTAL FOOTPRINT OF PHARMACEUTICALS - THE SIGNIFICANCE OF FACTORS BEYOND DIRECT EXCRETION TO SEWERS
Citation:
DAUGHTON, C. G. AND I. RUHOY. ENVIRONMENTAL FOOTPRINT OF PHARMACEUTICALS - THE SIGNIFICANCE OF FACTORS BEYOND DIRECT EXCRETION TO SEWERS. ENVIRONMENTAL TOXICOLOGY AND CHEMISTRY. Society of Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry, Pensacola, FL, 28(12):2495-2521, (2009).
Impact/Purpose:
Clean and Safe Water – by providing water quality research and methods development at multiple scales, utilizing landscape ecology and associated techniques
Description:
The combined excretion of active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs) via urine and feces is considered the primary route by which APIs from human pharmaceuticals enter the environment. Disposal of unwanted, leftover medications by flushing into sewers has been considered a secondary route - - one that does not contribute significantly to overall environmental loadings. This paper presents the first comprehensive examination of secondary routes of API release to the environment. These include: (a) bathing, washing, and laundering, all of which release APIs remaining on skin from use of high-content topical and transdermal applications or from excretion to skin via sweating, and (b) disposal of unused and partially used high-content devices. Also discussed are the health hazards associated with: (i) partially used devices, (ii) medication disposal practices of consumers, and (iii) interpersonal dermal transfer of API residues. Understanding these secondary routes is important from the perspective of pollution prevention, as actions can be designed more easily for reducing the environmental impact of APIs compared with the route of direct excretion (via urine and feces), as well as for reducing the incidence of unintentional and purposeful poisonings of humans and pets and for improving the quality and cost-effectiveness of healthcare. Exposure to APIs for humans via these routes is possibly more significant than exposure via drinking water.