Pharmaceuticals in the Water Pharmaceuticals in the Water

A Global ConcernA Global Concern

Pollutants are showing up in Pollutants are showing up in many waterways since the many waterways since the 1970’s1970’s• StreamsStreams

• River waysRiver ways

• OceansOceans

• LakesLakes

• Water treatment plantsWater treatment plants

HistoryHistory

Drugs initially found in waterways in the 1970’s Drugs initially found in waterways in the 1970’s by Wayne Garrisonby Wayne Garrison

In the U.S. 1990’s: In the U.S. 1990’s: USGS in 1999-2000USGS in 1999-2000Findings: Findings: one or more chemicals were found in 80% of one or more chemicals were found in 80% of

the streams sampledthe streams sampled82 out of 95 chemicals investigated were 82 out of 95 chemicals investigated were

detected atleast once.detected atleast once.

(NSFC Small Flows Quarterly)(NSFC Small Flows Quarterly)

““PPCP’s”PPCP’s”

Abbreviation used for:Abbreviation used for:

Pharmaceuticals (medications) and Pharmaceuticals (medications) and Personal Personal

Care Pollutants Care Pollutants

EPA calls PPCP’s emerging contaminants.EPA calls PPCP’s emerging contaminants.

USGS(US geological study)USGS(US geological study)

Found concentrations of < one part per Found concentrations of < one part per billion in many waterways surveyed.billion in many waterways surveyed.

Wide Variety of Drugs are Wide Variety of Drugs are polluting the Water Supplypolluting the Water Supply

Types of Drugs found:Types of Drugs found:

• Wide assortments of drug Wide assortments of drug classifications classifications

• Over the counterOver the counter

• PrescriptionPrescription

• Controlled Substances- def. drugs that Controlled Substances- def. drugs that are regulated and rated by the are regulated and rated by the federal government by their potential federal government by their potential for abuse- Morphine, Codeinefor abuse- Morphine, Codeine

Pharmaceutical Water Pharmaceutical Water PollutantsPollutants

• Includes drugs such as:Includes drugs such as:seizure medications- decreases reaction time in the seizure medications- decreases reaction time in the

nervous nervous system (slows the neuron system (slows the neuron activity/response)activity/response)

Birth control pills- Hormones, estrogen replacementBirth control pills- Hormones, estrogen replacementantidepressants-Zoloft, Paxil, Prozacantidepressants-Zoloft, Paxil, Prozacchemotherapeutics- Kill cellschemotherapeutics- Kill cellsantibiotics- worry about: antibiotic resistant bacteriaantibiotics- worry about: antibiotic resistant bacteriapain killers pain killers TranquillizersTranquillizersanti-cholesterol drugsanti-cholesterol drugsanti-inflammatoryanti-inflammatoryBeta-Blockers and Calcium channel Blockers: heart and Beta-Blockers and Calcium channel Blockers: heart and

Blood Blood Pressure medsPressure medsSteroidsSteroidsStimulantsStimulantsValiumValium

Other Pharmaceutical Other Pharmaceutical pollutantspollutants• ShampooShampoo

• LotionLotion

• CaffeineCaffeine

• NicotineNicotine

• FragrancesFragrances

• CosmeticsCosmetics

• Sun-screen Sun-screen

• Diagnostic agents: X-ray contrastDiagnostic agents: X-ray contrast

Where do the drugs come Where do the drugs come from?from?• Pharmaceutical Industries/ManufacturersPharmaceutical Industries/Manufacturers

• Hospitals-Medical facilities:Hospitals-Medical facilities:

standard practice of disposal is to flush standard practice of disposal is to flush medications down toilet or pour down sink medications down toilet or pour down sink to prevent drug seeking behaviorsto prevent drug seeking behaviors

• Households: At home unused/unwanted Households: At home unused/unwanted quantities are flushed quantities are flushed

How do PPCP’s enter the How do PPCP’s enter the environment?environment?

• ShoweringShowering

• Household cleaningHousehold cleaning

• Beverage consumptionBeverage consumption

These PPCP’s are washed down the These PPCP’s are washed down the drain, consumed, excreted, then drain, consumed, excreted, then flushed down the toilet.flushed down the toilet.

Or: per poison control centers instruct to Or: per poison control centers instruct to flush unused medicationsflush unused medications

PPCP’s Also enter through…PPCP’s Also enter through…

• Failing septic systemsFailing septic systems

• Straight pipesStraight pipes

• Discharge from wastewater Discharge from wastewater treatment plantstreatment plants

How do they get into the How do they get into the water?water?• Old medications are flushed down the Old medications are flushed down the

toilettoilet to the water treatment system to the water treatment system they are not completely filtered then the they are not completely filtered then the metabolites of the drugs are returned to metabolites of the drugs are returned to the lakesthe lakes drinking water drinking water

• The drugs are dumped in garbage and The drugs are dumped in garbage and absorbed into ground waterabsorbed into ground water

• Animals receive treatment, excrete and Animals receive treatment, excrete and absorbed via ground waterabsorbed via ground water

Why do Consumers flush drugs Why do Consumers flush drugs down the toilet?down the toilet?

PreventionPrevention

Drugs can be hazardous and poisonousDrugs can be hazardous and poisonous

• Childhood poisoning-i.e. Over doseChildhood poisoning-i.e. Over dose

• Adult and teenage abuse-i.e. Narcotics, Adult and teenage abuse-i.e. Narcotics, cough medicines…cough medicines…

Areas of Concern…Areas of Concern…

•Allergy or drug reactions/interactions•Harm to aquatic life and fish•Harm to Human Life

Human concernHuman concern• Several federal, state and private agencies Several federal, state and private agencies

working together to analyze and research working together to analyze and research pharmaceuticals, impact on human and pharmaceuticals, impact on human and aquatic life. aquatic life.

• ““Not very significant at this point due to Not very significant at this point due to chlorination, filtration and charcoal chlorination, filtration and charcoal treatment of water before it reaches us”treatment of water before it reaches us”

• Question: What about long term Question: What about long term effects???????effects???????

• Low concentrations- The amount is stated Low concentrations- The amount is stated to be too minute to harm humans at this to be too minute to harm humans at this point (parts per billion/trillion)point (parts per billion/trillion)

CaffeineCaffeine

Maximum reported drinking water Maximum reported drinking water level for caffeine is 0.12 parts per level for caffeine is 0.12 parts per billion.billion.

At this concentration a person would At this concentration a person would have to drink 222,000 gallons of have to drink 222,000 gallons of water before they ingest the water before they ingest the equivalent to one cup of coffeeequivalent to one cup of coffee

EPA states:EPA states:

Do not know if there is a human health Do not know if there is a human health risk from reported levelsrisk from reported levels

US continues to have the safest US continues to have the safest drinking water supplies in the world drinking water supplies in the world due to the collective long standing due to the collective long standing commitment to keep our water clean commitment to keep our water clean and healthyand healthy

Aquatic life and fishAquatic life and fishResearch findings state: Research findings state:

Sex steroids from oral contraceptives and Sex steroids from oral contraceptives and other similar chemicals can feminize male other similar chemicals can feminize male fish and change behaviors of either sex.fish and change behaviors of either sex.

A three year study in the U.K. found many A three year study in the U.K. found many final sewage effluents contain estrogenic final sewage effluents contain estrogenic hormones believed to originate from hormones believed to originate from women’s urine-research was initiated after women’s urine-research was initiated after the discovery of male fish became partly the discovery of male fish became partly feminized.feminized.

Female fish have developed male Female fish have developed male genital organs.genital organs.

Skewed sex ratios in some aquatic Skewed sex ratios in some aquatic populationspopulations

Sexually abnormal bass that produce Sexually abnormal bass that produce both eggs and spermboth eggs and sperm

Aquatic life at riskAquatic life at risk

Estrogen responsible for deforming Estrogen responsible for deforming reproductive systems of the fish.reproductive systems of the fish.

Fish are living in the lake water with Fish are living in the lake water with constant exposure and higher levels constant exposure and higher levels of chemicals.of chemicals.

Other wild life Other wild life

Kidney failure in VulturesKidney failure in Vultures

Impaired reproduction in mussels Impaired reproduction in mussels

Inhibited growth of algaeInhibited growth of algae

Bull sharks tested positive for Bull sharks tested positive for antidepressantsantidepressants

In EuropeIn Europe

• Researchers have tied a decline in Researchers have tied a decline in male sperm count to low levels of male sperm count to low levels of birth control in the environment.birth control in the environment.

• Have discovered chemotherapy Have discovered chemotherapy drugs, antibiotics and hormones in drugs, antibiotics and hormones in drinking water sources.drinking water sources.

• Germany found anti-cholesterol Germany found anti-cholesterol drugs over a decade ago in a drugs over a decade ago in a German water treatment plantGerman water treatment plant

U.S.U.S.

• 20 years ago the EPA found sludge from 20 years ago the EPA found sludge from a water treatment plant in the US a water treatment plant in the US contained excreted aspirin, caffeine and contained excreted aspirin, caffeine and nicotine. No significance with findings at nicotine. No significance with findings at that time.that time.

• USGS discovered inter-sexed fish in the USGS discovered inter-sexed fish in the Potomac river in 2006(fish were small Potomac river in 2006(fish were small and large mouth bass, were male but and large mouth bass, were male but carried immature eggs)carried immature eggs)

USGS Survey started in USGS Survey started in 19991999• Surveyed 139 streams around the Surveyed 139 streams around the

country and found that 80% of sample country and found that 80% of sample contained residues of pain killers, contained residues of pain killers, hormones, blood pressure medications, hormones, blood pressure medications, or antibiotics.or antibiotics.

• The FDA is evaluating the effects of The FDA is evaluating the effects of residues in antibiotics (effects on humans residues in antibiotics (effects on humans and assess potential to encourage the and assess potential to encourage the development of drug-resistant bacteria.development of drug-resistant bacteria.

Testing analysisTesting analysis

• US has delayed there research report US has delayed there research report findings until 2009findings until 2009

• Several agencies are devising new ways Several agencies are devising new ways to measure and analyze the to measure and analyze the compounds, determine their prevalence compounds, determine their prevalence in the environment, figure out where in the environment, figure out where they come from , how they move, where they come from , how they move, where they end up if they have any effects.they end up if they have any effects.

Lake Mead, Nevada - Lake Mead, Nevada - ResearchResearch• 2 long electric claws sunk into the lake from a 2 long electric claws sunk into the lake from a

boatboat

• Dozens of stunned fish float to the surfaceDozens of stunned fish float to the surface

• They are scooped up and placed in a coolerThey are scooped up and placed in a cooler

• Researchers club 7# carps to death, draw Researchers club 7# carps to death, draw their blood, snip out there gonads and pack their blood, snip out there gonads and pack them in aluminum foil and dry ice.them in aluminum foil and dry ice.

• Specimens then flown to aquatic toxicologists Specimens then flown to aquatic toxicologists

Suggestions of What can we do Suggestions of What can we do to:to:• Agencies have started to discourage Agencies have started to discourage

pharmacies, hospitals, nursing homes and pharmacies, hospitals, nursing homes and residents from disposing medications in the residents from disposing medications in the toilet. toilet.

• ““pharmaceutical take back locations” in drug pharmaceutical take back locations” in drug stores or police stationsstores or police stations

• Adding drugs to a list of hazardous household Adding drugs to a list of hazardous household waste- collect periodically and incineratewaste- collect periodically and incinerate

• Flush down the drain only if they are labeled Flush down the drain only if they are labeled with specific instructions to do so. Or in the with specific instructions to do so. Or in the trash mixed with an undesirable substance to trash mixed with an undesirable substance to discourage drug seekers.discourage drug seekers.

Preventing PPCP’s from Preventing PPCP’s from entering the Environment per entering the Environment per EPAEPA• Direct disposal of unused drugsDirect disposal of unused drugs

• Government need to make a guide Government need to make a guide for the nation on the safest way to for the nation on the safest way to dispose of drugsdispose of drugs

• Limit introduction of PPCP’s into the Limit introduction of PPCP’s into the environmentenvironment

Fox News Clip on Drugs in our Fox News Clip on Drugs in our Water SupplyWater Supply

• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1VhMLPpJy4w&feature=relatedVhMLPpJy4w&feature=related

• Bottled waterBottled water

ReferencesReferences

• Rochester D&C march 10,11 and April 14Rochester D&C march 10,11 and April 14• Testimony of Benjamin H. Grumbles, Assistant Testimony of Benjamin H. Grumbles, Assistant

Administrator for EPA before the Transportation Administrator for EPA before the Transportation Safety, infrastructure security and Water Quality Safety, infrastructure security and Water Quality Sub Committee of the Environment and Public Sub Committee of the Environment and Public Works Committee united states senate April 15, Works Committee united states senate April 15, 20082008

• Drugs are in the Water. Does it Matter? by Cornelia Drugs are in the Water. Does it Matter? by Cornelia DeanDean

• Pharmaceuticals in our Water SuppliesPharmaceuticals in our Water Supplies• The Mystery Behind PPCP’sThe Mystery Behind PPCP’s• www.Epa.govwww.Epa.gov