Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

How are pharmaceutical and personal care products (PPCPs) removed from urban wastewaters?

  • Review Paper
  • Published:
Reviews in Environmental Science and Bio/Technology Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

The presence of bioactive trace pollutants such as pharmaceuticals and ingredients of personal care products (PPCPs) in different environmental compartments (rivers, lakes, groundwaters, sediments, etc.) is an emerging issue due to the lack of existing information about the potential impact associated with their occurrence, fate and ecotoxicological effects. Due to the low PPCP concentrations reported in wastewaters (ppb or ppt) and their complex chemical structure, common technologies used in sewage and drinking water treatment plants may not be efficient enough to accomplish their complete removal. Information about physico-chemical characteristics such as acidity, lipophilicity, volatility and sorption potential is a useful tool to understand the different removal patterns observed. In order to perform an accurate overall mass balance along the different units of sewage treatment plants, it is necessary to gather information not only about the presence of micropollutants in the aqueous phase, but also on the fraction sorbed onto solids. Since only some PPCPs are very well eliminated by conventional sewage treatment configurations, new strategies such as modification of operating conditions (e.g. solids retention time), implementation of new technologies (e.g. biomembrane reactors) or additional advanced post-treatment steps (e.g. oxidation, adsorption, membranes) have been suggested for an increased efficiency.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Alonso E, Santos A, Solis GJ, Riesco P (2001) On the feasibility of urban wastewater tertiary treatment by membranes: a comparative assessment. Desalination 141:39–51

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Andersen H, Siegrist H, Halling-Sonrensen B, Ternes TA (2003) Fate of estrogens in a municipal sewage treatment plant. Environ Sci Technol 37:4021–4026

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Artola-Garicano E, Borkent I, Hermens JLM, Vaes WHJ (2003) Removal of two polycyclic musks in sewage treatment plants: freely and dissolved total concentrations, Environ. Sci Technol 37:3111–3116

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Balk F, Ford RA (1999) Environmental risk assessment for the polycyclic musks AHTN and HHCB in the EU. I. Fate and exposure assessment. Toxicol Lett 111:37–56

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Baronti C, Curini R, D’Ascenzo G, Di Corcia A, Gentili A, Samperi R (2000) Monitoring natural and synthetic estrogens at activated sludge sewage treatment plants and in a receiving river water. Environ Sci Technol 34(24):5059–5066

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Bester K (2004) Retention characteristics and balance assessment for two polycyclic musk fragrances (HHCB and AHTN) in a typical German sewage treatment plant. Chemosphere 57(8):863–870

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Bound JP, Voulvoulis N (2006) Predicted and measured concentrations for selected pharmaceuticals in UK rivers: implications for risk assessment. Water Res 40:2885–2892

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Bourin M, Jolliet P, Ballereau F (1997) An overview of the clinical pharmacokinetics of X-ray contrast media. Clinical Pharmacokinet 32(3):180–193

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Boyd GR, Reemtsma H, Grimm DA, Mitra S (2003) Pharmaceuticals and personal care products (PPCPs) in surface and treated waters of Louisiana, USA and Ontario, Canada. Sci Total Environ 311:863–870

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Braga O, Smythe GA, Schäfer AI, Feitz AJ (2005) Fate of steroid estrogens in Australian inland and coastal wastewater treatment plants. Environ Sci Technol 39:3351–3358

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Brooks BW, Foran CM, Richards SM, Weston J, Turner PK, Stanley JK, Solomon KR, Slattery M, La Point TW (2003) Aquatic ecotoxicology of fluoxetine. Toxicol Lett 142(3):169–183

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Carballa M, Omil F, Lema JM, Llompart M, Garcia-Jares C, Rodriguez I, Gomez M, Ternes T (2004) Behavior of pharmaceuticals, cosmetics and hormones in a sewage treatment plant. Water Res 38(12):2918–2926

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Carballa M, Omil F, Lema JM (2005) Removal of cosmetic ingredients and pharmaceuticals in sewage primary treatment. Water Res 39:4790–4796

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Carballa M, Omil F, Alder AC, Lema JM (2006) Comparison between the conventional anaerobic digestion (CAD) of sewage sludge and its combination with a chemical or thermal pre-treatment concerning the removal of Pharmaceuticals and Personal Care Products (PPCPs). Water Sci Technol 53(8):109–117

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Carballa M, Omil F, Lema JM (2007a) Calculation methods to perform mass balances of micropollutants in sewage treatment plants. Application to Pharmaceutical and Personal Care Products (PPCPs). Environ Sci Technol 41:884–890

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Carballa M, Omil F, Ternes T, Lema JM (2007b) Fate of Pharmaceutical and Personal Care Products (PPCPs) during anaerobic digestion of sewage sludge. Water Res 41(10):2139–2150

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Carballa M, Manterola G, Larrea L, Ternes TA, Omil F, Lema JM (2007c) Influence of ozone pre-treatment on sludge anaerobic digestion: removal of pharmaceutical and personal care products. Chemosphere 67(7):1444–1452

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Carballa M, Fink G, Omil F, Lema JM, Ternes TA (2008) Determination of the solid-water distribution coefficient (Kd) of pharmaceutical and personal care products (PPCPs) in digested sludge. Water Res 42(1–2):287–295

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Clara M, Strenn B, Ausserleitner M, Kreuzinger N (2004) Comparison of the behaviour of selected micropollutants in a membrane bioreactor and a conventional wastewater treatment plant. Water Sci Technol 50(5):29–36

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Clara M, Kreuzinger N, Strenn B, Gans O, Kroiss H (2005a) The solids retention time—a suitable design parameter to evaluate the capacity of wastewater treatment plants to remove micropollutants. Water Res 39(1):97–106

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Clara M, Strenn B, Gans O, Martinez E, Kreuzinger N, Kroiss H (2005b) Removal of selected pharmaceuticals, fragrances and endocrine disrupting compounds in a membrane bioreactor and conventional wastewater treatment plants. Water Res 39(19):4797–4807

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Cunningham VL (2004) Special characteristics of pharmaceuticals related to environmental fate. In: Kümmerer K (ed) Pharmaceuticals in the environment: sources, fate, effects and risks. Springer, Germany, pp 12–24

    Google Scholar 

  • Daughton CG, Ternes TA (1999) Pharmaceuticals and Personal Care Products in the environment: agents of subtle change? Environ Health Perspect 107:907–938

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • de Mes T, Zeeman G, Lettinga G (2005) Occurence and fate of estrone, E2 and EE2 in STPs for domestic wastewater. Rev Environ Sci Biotechnol 4:275–311

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Drewes JE, Heberer T, Reddersen K (2002) Fate of pharmaceuticals during indirect potable reuse. Water Sci Technol 46(3):73–80

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Drewes JE, Heberer T, Rauch T, Reddersen K (2003) Fate of pharmaceuticals during ground water recharge. Ground Water Monit Remediat 23:64–72

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Fahlenkamp H, Hannich CB, Möhle E, Nöthe T, Ries T (2004) Input and removal of hazardous substances in municipal sewage treatment plants. Chem Ing Tech 76(8):1179–1189

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Fent K, Weston AA, Caminada D (2006) Ecotoxicology of human pharmaceuticals. Aquat Toxicol 76(2):122–159

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Flippin JL, Huggett D, Foran CM (2007) Changes in the timing of reproduction following chronic exposure to ibuprofen in Japanese medaka, Oryzias latipes. Aquat Toxicol 81(1):73–78

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Gómez MJ, Martínez-Bueno MJ, Lacorte S, Fernández-Alba AR, Agüera A (2007) Pilot survey monitoring pharmaceuticals and related compounds in a sewage treatment plant located on the Mediterranean coast. Chemosphere 66(6):993–1002

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Heberer T (2002) Occurrence, fate, and removal of pharmaceutical residues in the aquatic environment: a review of recent research data. Toxicol Lett 131(1–2):5–17

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Henry TB, Kwon JW, Armbrust KL, Black MC (2004) Acute and chronic toxicity of five selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors in Ceriodaphnia dubia. Environ Toxicol Chem 23(9):2229–2233

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Holbrook RD, Novak JT, Grizzard TJ, Love NG (2002) Estrogen receptor agonist fate during wastewater and biosolids treatment processes: a mass balance analysis. Environ Sci Technol 36:4533–4539

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Hong HN, Kim HN, Park KS, Lee SK, Gu MB (2007) Analysis of the effects diclofenac has on Japanese medaka (Oryzias latipes) using real-time PCR. Chemosphere 67(11):2115–2121

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Huber MM, Canonica S, Park GY, von Gunten U (2003) Oxidation of pharmaceuticals during ozonation and advanced oxidation processes. Environ Sci Technol 37(5):1016–1024

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Huber MM, Gobel A, Joss A, Hermann N, Loffler D, Mcardell CS, Ried A, Siegrist H, Ternes TA, von Gunten U (2005) Oxidation of pharmaceuticals during ozonation of municipal wastewater effluents: a pilot study. Environ Sci Technol 39(11):4290–4299

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Jjemba PK (2006) Excretion and ecotoxicity of pharmaceutical and personal care products in the environment. Ecotoxicol Environ Saf 63(1):113–130

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Johnson AC, Sumpter JP (2001) Removal of endocrine-disrupting chemicals in activated sludge treatment works. Environ Sci Technol 35(24):4697–4703

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Johnson AC, Williams RJ (2004) A model to estimate influent and effluent concentrations of estradiol, estrone and ethinylestradiol at sewage treatment works. Environ Sci Technol 38(13):3649–3658

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Johnson AC, Aerni HR, Gerritsen A, Gibert M, Giger W, Hylland K, Jürgens M, Nakari T, Pickering A, Suter JJF, Svenson A, Wettstein FE (2005) Comparing steroid estrogen and nonylphenol content across a range of European sewage plants with different treatment and management practices. Water Res 39:47–58

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Jones OAH, Voulvoulis N, Lester JN (2002) Aquatic environmental assessment of the top 25 English prescription pharmaceuticals. Water Res 36:5013–5022

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Jones OAH, Voulvoulis N, Lester JN (2007) The occurrence and removal of selected pharmaceutical compounds in a sewage treatment works utilising activated sludge treatment. Environ Pollut 145:738–744

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Joss A, Andersen H, Ternes T, Richle PR, Siegrist H (2004) Removal of estrogens in municipal wastewater treatment under aerobic and anaerobic conditions: consequences for plant optimization. Environ Sci Technol 38(11):3047–3055

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Joss A, Keller E, Alder AC, Gobel A, McArdell CS, Ternes T, Siegrist H (2005) Removal of pharmaceuticals and fragrances in biological wastewater treatment. Water Res 39:3139–3152

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Joss A, Zabczynski S, Gobel A, Hoffmann B, Loffler D, McArdell CS, Ternes TA, Thomsen A, Siegrist H (2006) Biological degradation of pharmaceuticals in municipal wastewater treatment: proposing a classification scheme. Water Res 40(8):1686–1696

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Kanda R, Griffin P, James HA, Fothergill J (2003) Pharmaceuticals and personal care products in sewage treatment works. J Environ Monit 5:823–830

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Khan SJ, Ongerth JE (2002) Estimation of pharmaceutical residues in primary and secondary sewage sludge based on quantities of use and fugacity modeling. Water Sci Technol 46(3):105–113

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Khan SJ, Ongerth JE (2004) Modelling of pharmaceutical residues in Australian sewage by quantities of use and fugacity calculations. Chemosphere 54:355–367

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Kinney CA, Furlong ET, Zaugg SD, Burkhardt MR, Werner SL, Cahill JD, Jorgensen GR (2006) Survey of organic wastewater contaminants in biosolids destined for land application. Environ Sci Technol 40(23):7207–7215

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Kreuzinger N, Clara M, Stren B, Kroiss H (2004) Relevance of the sludge retention time (SRT) as design criteria for wastewater treatment plants for the removal of endocrine disruptors and pharmaceuticals from wastewater. Water Sci Technol 50(5):149–156

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Kummerer K (2000) Pharmaceuticals in the environment: sources, fate, effects and risks, 2nd edn. Springer, Germany

    Google Scholar 

  • Kupper T, Berset JD, Etter-Holzer R, Furrer R, Tarradellas J (2004) Concentrations and specific loads of polycyclic musks in sewage sludge originating from a monitoring network in Switzerland. Chemosphere 54:1111–1120

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Kupper T, Plagellat C, Braendli RC, de Alencastro LF, Grandjean D, Tarradellas J (2006) Fate and removal of polycyclic musks, UV filters and biocides during wastewater treatment. Water Res 40(14):2603–2612

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Matsui S, Takigami H, Matsuda T, Taniguchi N, Adachi J, Kawami H, Shimizu Y (2000) Estrogen and estrogen mimics contamination in water and the role of sewage treatment. Water Sci Technol 42(12):173–179

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Nakada N, Tanishima T, Shinohara H, Kiri K, Takada H (2006) Pharmaceutical chemicals and endocrine disrupters in municipal wastewater in Tokyo and their removal during activated sludge treatment. Water Res 40(17):3297–3303

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Paraskeva P, Graham N (2002) Ozonation of municipal wastewater effluents. Water Environ Res 74:569–581

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Pollice A, Lopez A, Laera G, Rubino P, Lonigro A (2004) Tertiary filtered municipal wastewater as alternative water source in agriculture: a field investigation in Southern Italy. Sci Total Environ 324:201–210

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Ricking M, Schwarzbauer J, Hellou J, Svenson A, Zitko V (2003) Polycyclic aromatic musk compounds in sewage treatment plant effluents of Canada and Sweden—first results. Mar Pollut Bull 46(4):410–417

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Schreurs RHMM, Legler J, Artola-Garicano E, Sinnige TL, Lanser PH, Seinen W, van der Burg B (2004) In vitro and in vivo antiestrogenic effects of polycyclic musks in zebrafish. Environ Sci Technol 38(4):997–1002

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Simonich SL, Federle TW, Eckhoff WS, Rottiers A, Webb S, Sabaliunas D, de Wolf W (2002) Removal of fragrance materials during U.S. and European wastewater treatment. Environ Sci Technol 36:2839–2847

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Snyder SA, Adham S, Redding AM, Cannon FS, DeCarolis J, Oppenheimer J, Wert EC, Yoon Y (2007) Role of membranes and activated carbon in the removal of endocrine disruptors and pharmaceuticals. Desalination 202:156–181

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Stuer-Lauridsen F, Birkved M, Hansen LP, Lutzhoft HCH, Halling-Sorensen B (2000) Environmental risk assessment of human pharmaceuticals in Denmark after normal therapeutic use. Chemosphere 40(7):783–793

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Stumpf M, Ternes TA, Wilken RD, Rodrigues SV, Baumann W (1999) Polar drug residues in sewage and natural waters in the state of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Sci Total Environ 225(1–2):135–141

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Suarez S, Ramil M, Omil F, Lema JM (2005) Removal of pharmaceutically active compounds in nitrifying–denitrifying plants. Water Sci Technol 52(8):9–14

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Suárez S, Dodd MC, Omil F, von Gunten U (2007) Kinetics of triclosan oxidation by aqueous ozone and consequent loss of antibacterial activity: relevance to municipal wastewater ozonation. Water Res 41:2481–2490

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Tauche-Wuersch A, de Alencastro LF, Grandjean D, Tarradellas J (2005) Occurrence of several acidic drugs in sewage treatment plants in Switzerland and risk assessment. Water Res 39(9):1761–1772

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Ternes TA (1998) Occurrence of drugs in German sewage treatment plants and rivers. Water Res 32(11):3245–3260

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Ternes T, Joss A (2006) Human pharmaceuticals, hormones and fragrances. The challenge of micropollutants in urban water management. IWA Publishing, London

    Google Scholar 

  • Ternes TA, Kreckel P, Mueller J (1999a) Behaviour and occurrence of estrogens in municipal sewage treatment plants—II. Aerobic batch experiments with activated sludge. Sci Total Environ 225(1–2):91–99

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Ternes TA, Stumpf M, Mueller J, Heberer K, Wilken RD, Servos M (1999b) Behavior and occurrence of estrogens in municipal sewage treatment plants—I. Investigations in Germany, Canada and Brazil. Sci Total Environ 225(1–2):81–90

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Ternes TA, Meisenheimer M, McDowell D, Sacher F, Brauch HJ, Gulde BH, Preuss G, Wilme U, Seibert NZ (2002) Removal of pharmaceuticals during drinking water treatment. Environ Sci Technol 36(17):3855–3863

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Ternes T, Stüber J, Herrmann N, McDowell D, Ried A, Kampmann M, Teiser B (2003) Ozonation: a tool for removal of pharmaceuticals, contrast media and musk fragrances from wastewater? Water Res 37:1976–1982

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Ternes TA, Herrmann N, Bonerz M. Knacker T, Siegrist H, Joss A (2004) Determination of Kd-values for pharmaceuticals and musk fragrances in sewage sludge. Water Res 38:4075–4084

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Theiβ N (2004) Entwicklung einer analytischen Methode zur Bestimmung von Makrolid- und Sulfonamidantibiotika in Abwasser und Belebtschlamm via LC Tandem Massenspektrometrie, Diplomarbeit für Bingen Fachhochschule, Bingen, Germany

  • Vader JS, van Ginkel CG, Sperling FMGM, de Jong J, de Boer W, de Graaf JS, van der Most M, Stokman PGW (2000) Degradation of ethinyl estradiol by nitrifying activated sludge. Chemosphere 41(8):1239–1243

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Van de Plasche EJ, Balk F (1997) Environmental risk assessment of the polycyclic musks AHTN and HHCB to the EU-TGD, Report No. 601503008, Bilhoven, N.L. National institute of public health and the environment (RIVM)

  • Vasskog T, Berger U, Samuelsen PJ, Kallenborn R, Jensen E (2006) Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors in sewage influents and effluents from Tromso, Norway. J Chromatogr A 1115(1–2):187–195

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Zwiener C, Glauner T, Frimmel FH (2000) Biodegradation of pharmaceutical residues investigated by SPE-GC/ITD-MS and on-line derivatization. J High Resolut Chromatogr 23(7–8):474–478

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgments

This work was supported by the Spanish Ministry of Education and Science through the projects FARMEDAR (CTM2004-04475) and NOVEDAR_Consolider (CSD2007-00055).

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Chemical Engineering, School of Engineering, University of Santiago de Compostela, 15782, Santiago de Compostela, Spain

    Sonia Suárez, Marta Carballa, Francisco Omil & Juan M. Lema

Authors
  1. Sonia Suárez
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Marta Carballa
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Francisco Omil
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Juan M. Lema
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Francisco Omil.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Suárez, S., Carballa, M., Omil, F. et al. How are pharmaceutical and personal care products (PPCPs) removed from urban wastewaters?. Rev Environ Sci Biotechnol 7, 125–138 (2008). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11157-008-9130-2

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11157-008-9130-2

Keywords

Search

Navigation