Occurrence and spatial distribution of

pharmaceuticals and personal care

products (PPCPs) in the aquatic environment,
their characteristics, and
adopted legislations
(Part 3)
 Occurrence of PPCPs in wastewater and
wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs)
1. The Mediterranean basin as a case study on the occurrence and
distribution and of PPCPs in wastewater and WWTPs

83% mainly in Europe

The total PPCPs

Top of 10 producers concentrations
and exporters of were 6072
Medicine in Europe
The concentrations of pharmaceuticals
and frequency of detection in influents
and effluents of WWTPS

FD 5 of 10 antibiotic sustances were

>90% of total
Less selected
frequently cases
studied
The most abundant substances in
Mediterranian basin
The concentrations of pharmaceuticals
and frequency of detection in influents
and effluents of WWTPS

Highly studied with quantities from hundreds

to 1000 ng/L

Lipid regulators and Betablockers were

detected in 70 to 85% of studied cases
The potential occurance of pharmaceutical redisues (PhRs) indicates that the Mediterranean Sea
becomes a vulnerable ecosystem
 Occurrence of PPCPs in wastewater and
wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs)
2. USA as a case study on the occurrence and distribution of PPCPs in WWTPs

14.591 Thousands
drugs released into
WWTPs in USA
aquatic environment

500 >8
35.300 Million tons of Million of dry
Million gallons of animal manure biosolids
wastewater sources
The highest and the most
commonly detected
compounds in wastewater
system

165-315 million over

the world and
First generation of USA
about 9,4%
antiallergenic used. was
medicine
detected
USA produced 94 tons
of cocaine = 10.5% of
the total global
production

The most frequently

detected antipsychotics in
wastewater
 1977, the first
reported of
discharged
pharmaceuticals into
the aquatic
environment

Antihypertensives,
psychoactives, and
antibiotics were the
most detected
substances

The discharged of
pharmaceuticals
through wastewater
vary with seasons
 Occurrence of PPCPs in groundwater

Sulphonamides were reported higher

concentrations.

Anticonvulsants, analgesics and anti-inflammatories

medicines are the most common detected in
groundwater

Concentration of PPCPs from Nigeria

- Drinking water : 424 ng/L
- Ground water : 948 ng/L
- Surface water : 4660 ng/L

Amoxicillin was the most

detected compund
The concentrations of pharmaceuticals in
groundwater are lower than in surface water
Occurrence of PPCPs in groundwater
France as a case study on PPCPs emerging
contaminants in groundwater

• 411 emerging contaminants from 494

groundwater locations across France
• The existence of PPCPs was highest in
urban area
• Acetaminophen was the most frequently
detected (29%)
• Acetaminophen greater in Spring than Fall
• Sulfamethoxazole, carbamazepine and
acetaminophen are usually reported
 Regulations, guidelines, and policies of
PPCPs in the environmental system
International organizations, authorities, and
governments have sets of the guidelines of different
PPCPs in aquatic system, with three categories:

Regulations and directives proposed

1 by the European Union (EU).

Strategies and recommendations

2 by international organizations.

Legislations & guidelines declared

3 by state governments/countries.
 Regulations and directives proposed by the European
Union (EU)
In 2020, issued a new Commision In 2000, the first official
Implementation Decision 8 1 regulations and guidelines

The same year, the surface water

In 2018, against antimicrobial in Watch List (WL) and
ressistance to the WL 7 2 Enviromental Quality Standards
(EQS) declared

In 2015, published and proposed

7 substances and five 6 3 In 2008, the second regulations and
compounds should elimanated announced 33 compounds

Directive 2013/39/EC has detected In 2013, released new directive to

and analysed 10 substances that can 5 4 detect and elimanate of 45 substances
cause risk to the aquatic system
 Regulations, guidelines, and policies of
PPCPs in the environmental system
International organizations, authorities, and
governments have sets of the guidelines of different
PPCPs in aquatic system, with three categories:

Regulations and directives proposed

1 by the European Union (EU).

Strategies and recommendations

2 by international organizations.

Legislations & guidelines declared

3 by state governments/countries.
 Strategies and recommendations by
international organizations

1 The European Union Strategic Approach (EUSA)

2 The European Commision (EC)

3 The World Health Organization (WHO)

4 The Organization of Economic Co-operation and

Development (OECD)

5
The Strategic Approach to International Chemicals Management
(SAICM)
 Regulations, guidelines, and policies of
PPCPs in the environmental system
International organizations, authorities, and
governments have sets of the guidelines of different
PPCPs in aquatic system, with three categories:

Regulations and directives proposed

1 by the European Union (EU).

Strategies and recommendations

2 by international organizations.

Legislations & guidelines declared

3 by state governments/countries.
Legislations and guidelines reported by
state goverments or countries
Challenges and future perspectives
PPCPs
1
Value-added
converting resources

2 Integrating data-driven technologies

Machine learning (ML), and
Artificial Neural Networks with
wastewater management
 Challenges and future perspectives
3 4 4

Long-term approach to minimizing Assessment the long-term Awareness campaigns on

waste at the source such as impact of PPCPs on the efficient wastewater to
changing people's attitudes human health and energy conversion
ecosystems
Challenges and future perspectives
resulted in the greater
6 disposal of wastewater

Focus on waste water monitoring, waste water

recycling in accordance with the zero liquid
discharge concept to realize a circular economy.

Artificial intelligence and data science for

7 modelling and analysis the global
occurrence of PPCPs in aquatic systems.
 Thanks!
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