Pharma-Ecology, 2nd Edition

6Detection and Occurrence of PPCPs in the Environment

LEARNING OBJECTIVES

1. A summary of important methods used to detect PPCPs in the environment vis‐à‐vis the general challenges of detecting these compounds.
2. Interpretation of measured environmental concentration (MEC) data and developing skills for distinguishing high quality data from less rigorous monitoring information.
3. Key drivers of PPCP distribution with emphasis on excretion, runoff, and disposal (or lack thereof).
4. An extensive collection of references serves as a gateway to more specific analytical methods for scientists.

Although our attention and interest in pharmaceutical and personal care products (PPCPs) as environmental contaminants is characterized as “new” or “emerging,” most of the compounds have been around for several decades by now. Interest in their presence in the environment was stimulated by the large quantities being produced. Furthermore, their use, complexity, and diversity are steadily increasing every year. Current accurate statistics about what proportions of PPCPs enter the environment through numerous channels in various countries are not readily available. This in part is due to privacy issues and competitive marketing tactics. Most pharmaceuticals are directly or indirectly introduced into the environment through two main routes, i.e. disposal and excretion. For example, a survey in two counties in Southern California identified disposal in trash and flushing down the toilet as the ...