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Wastewater analysis: the mean of the monitoring of frequently prescribed pharmaceuticals in Slovakia

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Abstract

The estimation of medication use is based on the statistical data from pharmacies and hospitals. Excessive use or misuse of some compounds, especially psychoactive medications, has not yet been monitored in Slovakia. Wastewater analysis provides useful data about the medication use and misuse in individual regions. This study is focused on the analysis of 23 substances in the wastewaters of Slovakia. The monitoring programme has included stimulants, opioid and morphine derivatives, benzodiazepines, antidepressants, drug precursors and their metabolites. Urinary markers of these compounds were analysed at WWTP influent in seven regions (Bratislava, Košice, Zvolen, Banská Bystrica, Trenčín, Prešov a Piešťany) using LC-MS/MS technique. The analysis was performed from March to October 2013. The pattern in use of these compounds was also monitored. Tramadol and venlafaxine were found to be the most concentrated compounds among of all studied psychoactive pharmaceuticals. The highest specific loads of tramadol were detected in Piešťany (409 mg/day/1000 inhabitants) and Zvolen (366 mg/day/1000 inhabitants). There is a considerable number of spa facilities (hotels) situated in these cities and this fact contributes to a higher occurrence of these psychoactive compounds in respective wastewaters.

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Acknowledgments

This work was supported by the Slovak Research and Development Agency under the contract No. APVV-0122-12 and also by the Slovak National Monitoring Centre for drugs under the contract No.122/2013. Support was also given by the Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports of the Czech Republic—projects “CENAKVA” (No. CZ.1.05/2.1.00/01.0024) and “CENAKVA II” (No. LO1205 under the NPU I program). TM acknowledge the financial support of the Slovak University of Technology in Bratislava (Grantová schéma na podporu excelentných tímov mladých výskumníkov v podmienkach STU v Bratislave: Výskyt liečiv, drog a rezistentných typov baktérií v odpadových vodách zo zdravotných zariadenína Slovensku a ich možné odstránenie pomocou progresívnych procesov). The authors would also like to express their deepest gratitude to J. Tichy and O. Koba for the technical assistance.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Institute of Chemical and Environmental Engineering, Faculty of Chemical and Food Technology, Slovak University of Technology, Radlinského 9, 812 37, Bratislava, Slovakia

    Tomáš Mackuľak & Igor Bodík

  2. Institute of Biochemistry, Nutrition and Health Protection, Faculty of Chemical and Food Technology, Slovak University of Technology, Radlinského 9, 812 37, Bratislava, Slovakia

    Lucia Birošová & Jaroslav Škubák

  3. Department of Inorganic Technology, Faculty of Chemical and Food Technology, Slovak University of Technology, Radlinského 9, 812 37, Bratislava, Slovakia

    Miroslav Gál

  4. Faculty of Fisheries and Protection of Waters, South Bohemian Research Centre of Aquaculture and Biodiversity of Hydrocenoses, University of South Bohemia in Ceske Budejovice, Zatisi 728/II, 389 01, Vodnany, Czech Republic

    Roman Grabic

  5. Department Fibers and Textile Chemistry, Faculty of Chemical and Food Technology, Slovak University of Technology, Radlinského 9, 812 37, Bratislava, Slovakia

    Jozef Ryba

Authors
  1. Tomáš Mackuľak
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  2. Lucia Birošová
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  3. Miroslav Gál
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  4. Igor Bodík
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  5. Roman Grabic
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  6. Jozef Ryba
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  7. Jaroslav Škubák
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Correspondence to Tomáš Mackuľak.

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Mackuľak, T., Birošová, L., Gál, M. et al. Wastewater analysis: the mean of the monitoring of frequently prescribed pharmaceuticals in Slovakia. Environ Monit Assess 188, 18 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10661-015-5011-7

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