1.5.

Contaminantes emergentes
1.5.1. Compuestos farmacéuticos

PHARMACEUTICALS IN THE ENVIRONMENT

Where are They Coming From, What are the Risks, and What Can We Do About It

DAVE RIEDEL, M.Sc, P.

Eng
Senior
o Environmental
+1 703 465 Engineer
4238
c +1 703 853 8920
e david.riedel@arcadis.com
 Farmacéuticos en el ambiente

Solid Waste
What is PiE? Production

Water for
Consumption Animal Human Solid Waste
Consumption Consumption

Fertilizer Landfills
Liquid Waste

Crops Wastewater Leachate

Treatment

THE ENVIRONMENT 6

© Arcadis 2017 21 May 2018 2

 Ingredientes farmacéuticos activos

Pathways of APIs to the Environment

Primary Pathway > 85%

Wastewater Treatment

Unused medicines Manufacturing/Hospitals Agriculture

(Minor pathway <10%) (Minor pathway <5%) (Minor pathway <5%)

APIs enter the environment through multiple pathways.

Human consumption is the primary source of APIs to the environment.
© Arcadis 2017 21 May 2018 3

Images are hyperlinked to source

We are the Primary Source!

>85%
(Almost the same as tipping it
straight down the toilet)

© Arcadis 2017 21 May 2018 4

Images are hyperlinked to source

Pharmaceuticals – A Diverse Range of Chemicals
Classes of APIs:

• Anti-inflammatories • Antibiotics
• Muscle relaxants
• Contraceptives Each API interacts
• Anti-epileptics
• Anti-diabetics
•
differently with the
Anti-depressants
• Diuretics environment.
• Others (including x-
• Beta-blockers ray media)
• Lipid regulators
• Cytostatic agents
© Arcadis 2017 21 May 2018 5
Typical Concentrations in the Water Cycle
12000

10000
CONCENTRATION, ng/L

1 000 - 10 000 ng/L

8000

6000 1 000 - 5 000 ng/L

10 - 100 ng/L
1 - 1000 ng/L
1 - 1000 ng/L

0.1 - 1 ng/L
4000

2000

0
WASTEWAT ER WASTEWAT ER SURFACE SOIL DRINKING GROUND
INFLUENT WAT ER WAT ER WAT ER
EFFLUENT
© Arcadis 2017 21 May 2018 6
API Categories and Effects
API Categories API Effects
• Endocrine Disrupting Compounds
(EDCs) Antibiotic
Effects

• Toxic Compounds

• Antibiotic/Antimicrobial Agents Endocrine Toxic

Effects Effects

API effects can occur in isolation or combined,

depending on a variety of factors.
© Arcadis 2017 21 May 2018 16
Another Real World Example
• Venlafaxine found In Drinking Water
Samples
– March 2003 news headline – Basel,
Switzerland.
• Measurements showed 0.3 mg/l
Venlafaxine.
– PNEC Human Health = 0.25
mg/L
– PNEC Aquatic Life = 0.005 mg/L (for
chronic exposure)
• Third party API manufacturing site
upstream of drinking water intake
– Found to be releasing 30 kg/day
© Arcadis 2017 21 May 2018 8

Venlafaxine (even with robust WWTP)

Pharmaceutical Discharge Reduction Process

Collection & Pre-Treatment API Treatment Post-Treatment

Start with Segregation Requirements Technology • pH
PEC/ • Reduce • Equalization • Ozone Neutralization
PNEC to discharge • pH Control Oxidation • Cooling
mass • Solids • GAC • RO for Reuse
ID Key • Isolate near- Removal • Biological • WW Blending
Sources source • Oil & Grease Treatment • Monitoring
• Capture Removal • Membrane
pharmaceutical • Dissolved Air Filtration
waste streams Flotation • Evaporatio
• Repair n
infrastructure • Incineratio
n

Always attempt to In some cases, combination of technology is

minimize API discharge to required to treat different compounds or arrive
© Arcadis 2017
wastewater as close to the at most efficient operating strategy. 21 May 2018 31
source as possible.
Secondary Treatment
• Typically biological-based
• Removal pathways include biological oxidation/reduction and sorption to
biological solids of contaminants

Relies on a symbiotic culture of microorganisms

(biofilms, aerobes, anaerobes, anoxic organisms)
© Arcadis 2017 21 May 2018

32
Images are hyperlinked to source
Removal During Conventional Wastewater
Treatment

Primary (Physical)Treatment Methods

+ Secondary (Biological) Treatment
Methods

Conventional Treatment

© Arcadis 2017 21 May 2018 11

 Focus on Membrane Bioreactor (MBR) for
Pharmaceutical Production Facilities
• Micro- or ultra-filtration
membrane for solids/liquid
separation
• Operates at high biomass
concentrations
• Longer sludge age
• Improved operability
• Amenable for water reuse
applications
HT-Hormone Therapy : OC-Oral Contraceptives : Venlafaxine-SSRI

© Arcadis 2017 21 May 2018 12

Tertiary Treatment Categories

Some are suited for general effluent quality improvement,

while others specifically remove APIs.
© Arcadis 2017 21 May 2018 13
1.5.2. 1,4-Dioxano

AVANCES EN LA APLICACIÓN DE TECNOLOGÍAS

REMEDIACIÓN
DE EN MÉXICO
1,4-DIOXANE
Joseph Quinnan, PE, PG, – Arcadis

Foro: Contaminantes Emergentes en Suelo y Agua Subterránea

What are Emerging Contaminants?

New
comp ounds

No
regulatory
stan dards 1,4-Dioxane

Expanding
prevalence
Personal Care Products

Health/Eco
risk

© Arcadis 2017 21 May 2018 3

Physical and Chemical Properties
1,4-Dioxane is miscible in water, does not readily adsorb, and is not easily volatilized.
It is expected to be more mobile in groundwater than its CVOC co-contaminants.

TCE 1,1,1-TCA 1,1-DCE 1,4-Dioxane

SOLUBILITY Moderate Moderate High Miscible

VAPOR
PRESSURE Low Low Low Low

SORPTION Low Moderate Low Very Low

(log KOW)

1,4-Dioxane and MTBE have similar stories

© Arcadis 2017
Magnitude of the Problem in U.S.

Widespread occurrence
 Common use in commercial
products and industrial process
 High mobility and persistence
 Conventional drinking water
treatment methods not
effective

Source: EPA UCMR3

Detected in ~20% of public water supplies,

~7% exceed health-based standards.
© Arcadis 2017
Standards vary widely by state…

• USEPA health
advisory of 0.35
ug/L
• Variability due to
state assumption
regarding
uncertainty and
© Arc
eadixs 2p017osure 21 May 2018 8
 Management Strategies: Common Example
2. Operation
Treatment Groundwater Extraction of P&T
Upgradient via
System
Reinjection Stripping

Former
Solvent
Degreaser

3. Sample for 4. Find a

1,4-Dioxane as 1,4-Dioxane
Part of Closure Plume
1. Historical
CVOC
Plume

© Arcadis 2017 21 May 2018 20

High Resolution Site Characterization
Groundwater always takes the fastest path – not the shortest
Dynamic, flux-focused approach defines the mass that is relevant

© Arcadis 2017
Mass Flux-Based Perspective
 Start with aquifer properties
 Hydraulic profiling tool (HPT) data
 Cone Penetrometer Testing (CPT) data
HYDRAULIC CONDUCTIVITY  Layer on concentration information
 Vertical aquifer profile (VAP) groundwater
samples
 Whole core saturated soil data
 Visualize mass flux
CONCENTRATION PROFILES
 2D
 3D

>90% of contaminants often flow in

<10% of aquifer volume
© Arcadis 2017 RELATIVE FLUX 21 May 2018 16
1.5.3. Per y Poli-Fluoralquilos