Drugs in Water: Environmental Concerns, an Alarming Truth

The growing use of medicines and the unknown and known consequences of drugs in the environment have intensified concerns about the infiltration of these complex compounds into the aquatic environments. The concerns include concentration of such compounds in the food chain and the endocrine glands, drug resistance and impact on the fertility of wildlife. From the medicines used, 5 to 90% are discharged as glucoronides through urine or feces after losing their toxicity in liver. On a global scale, the medicines that control blood cholesterol, the heart and coronary drugs, and the anti-depressants are the medicines most widely used. These have also been identified in water resources and even in drinking water. WHO has confirmed the existence of 15 to 25 widely used drug residues in drinking water at the scales of nano and micro gram per liter. In Iran the Codeine Acetaminophen, Cold medicine and Amoxicillin are in the first three ranks followed by Diphenoxylate capsules and Dexametasone injections, which jointly occupy the fourth place. To tackle the undesirable consequences and concerns about the presence of medicines in water, training programs aiming at reducing consumption and proper use of drugs and hygienic products and cosmetics, setting regulations and guidelines for appropriate discharge of unused or partially used drugs and implementing adequate monitoring and punitive and motivational measures have been emphasized. For the removal of the remaining hormones, drugs, and antibiotics, redesigning the filters and using chlorine and ozone oxidants, membrane processes such as reverse osmosis, nano filtration, ultrafiltration, and microfiltration with simultaneous radiation of ultraviolet and a minimum particle size of 400 mJ/cm2 and injection of at least 3 mg per liter of peroxide Hydrogen has been tested.