Science Inventory

MEDICATION DISPOSAL AS A SOURCE FOR DRUGS AS ENVIRONMENTAL CONTAMINANTS

Citation:

RUHOY, I. MEDICATION DISPOSAL AS A SOURCE FOR DRUGS AS ENVIRONMENTAL CONTAMINANTS. Presented at Invited presentation at the Office of Water (HQ), Washington, DC, June 18, 2007.

Impact/Purpose:

The research focused on in the subtasks is the development and application of state-of the-art technologies to meet the needs of the public, Office of Water, and ORD in the area of Water Quality. Located In the subtasks are the various research projects being performed in support of this Task and more in-depth coverage of each project. Briefly, each project's objective is stated below.

Subtask 1: To integrate state-of-the-art technologies (polar organic chemical integrative samplers, advanced solid-phase extraction methodologies with liquid chromatography/electrospray/mass spectrometry) and apply them to studying the sources and fate of a select list of PPCPs. Application and improvement of analytical methodologies that can detect non-volatile, polar, water-soluble pharmaceuticals in source waters at levels that could be environmentally significant (at concentrations less than parts per billion, ppb). IAG with USGS ends in FY05. APM 20 due in FY05.

Subtask 2: Coordination of interagency research and public outreach activities for PPCPs. Participate on NSTC Health and Environment subcommittee working group on PPCPs. Web site maintenance and expansion, invited technical presentations, invited articles for peer-reviewed journals, interviews for media, responding to public inquiries.

Subtask 3: To apply state-of-the-art environmental forensic techniques to the recognition and characterization of emerging pollutants in the aquatic environment. There is a need for high sensitivity and for a powerful method of structural characterization, advanced mass spectrometric and chromatographic techniques to be employed to meet the challenge of emerging pollutants, including pharmaceuticals and personal care products, agents of sabotage, and explosives. Ongoing efforts continue to identify previously unrecognized pollutants from a range of problematic samples having importance to regional and state contacts.

Subtask 4: To provide the Agency with a set of practical analytical methods for the selective and sensitive determination of selenium species (organic, inorganic, volatile and non volatile forms) in multiple media to accurately assess and if necessary control the risk of selenium exposure to organisms. This includes development of optimal extraction, digestion, separation and detection approaches.

Subtask 5: To develop and apply an analytical method that can extract and detect synthetic musks. The extent of exposure may be determined by measuring levels of synthetic musks from their potential source (communal sewage effluent). This subtask ends in FY05 with the deliverable of APM 21. Future applications to biosolids will be covered in subtask 6.

Subtask 6: Application, and improvement, of previously in-house developed sensitive, robust, and green, methodologies regarding the use of urobilin and sterols as a possible markers of sewage contamination.

Subtask 7: Adaptation and improvement of previously developed in-house methods, for PPCPs (e.g., antibiotics and musks) to solid materials (e.g. biosolids, sediments).

Subtask 8: Study of the presence of personal care products, incombustible organic compounds from the direct-piping of small engines exhaust in Lake Tahoe, and lake deposition of airborne pollutants from industrial activity

Description:

The major routes by which pharmaceuticals enter the environment are excretion, bathing, and

disposal of leftover, unwanted medications. Pharmaceuticals designed for humans and animals

often remain unused. Leftover, accumulated drugs represent potentially environmentally

unsound disposal and suboptimal delivery of health care. They also can pose acute exposure

risks for humans and wildlife. Active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs) directly enter the

environment primarily via sewage. Among the three routes of entry, the relative contributions of

each are poorly understood. In contrast to excretion, which as a source comprises continual lowlevel

contributions from multitudes of people, drug disposal comprises acute but transient and

episodic contributions from fewer people. The only route that is subject most easily to pollution

prevention or source control measures is disposal.

A major unknown with respect to drugs as pollutants is what fractions of drug residues occurring

in the ambient environment result from discarding leftover drugs. No studies exist that provide

objective data from well-defined populations to support any type of conclusion. Given the

importance of environmental stewardship to sustainability, a means for assessing the relative

contributions of APIs resulting from disposal would be useful in justifying the resources that

might be devoted to controlling this source - - for example, by way of consumer "take-back"

programs.

To gauge the significance of leftover drugs as potential pollutants, data are needed on the types,

quantities, and frequencies with which drugs accumulate as household waste. Absence of this

data prevents assessments of the significance of drug accumulation and disposal as a contributing

source of drug residues in the environment.

The presentation will comprise two parts - - an overview of the drug disposal issue and a new

approach that allows for the first time a way to mine extensive data from one previously

unrecognized source of pharmaceutical disposal. This source can be extrapolated to the

population at large for a particular locale. The approach could allow for nationwide collection of

data useful for estimating the magnitude and extent of consumer drug disposal as a source of

environmental pollution.

In addition to use in justifying and designing source control and pollution prevention efforts, the

data could also have collateral outcomes, including assisting: (i) environmental scientists to

better target APIs for monitoring purposes, (ii) assessment of risk to human health from chronic

and/or acute exposures (e.g., imprudent consumption of leftover drugs), (iii) health care

practitioners to address inefficient prescribing practices and patient non-compliance, and (iv)

policymakers (including those in the insurance industry) to begin to understand and confront the

growing issue of wasted and discarded medications.

Record Details:

Record Type:DOCUMENT( PRESENTATION/ ABSTRACT)
Product Published Date:06/18/2007
Record Last Revised:06/14/2007
Record ID: 173303