Pharmaceutical compounds in land-applied sludge and plant uptake: A review

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2015-05

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Abstract Taylor-Smith, Aana. Master of Environmental Assessment. Pharmaceutical compounds in land-applied sludge and plant uptake: A review. In the fields of environmental science and wastewater treatment, pharmaceutical products are gaining recognition as potential contaminants of concern. Pharmaceuticals have been found to pass through conventional wastewater treatment facilities and enter surface waters, which has spurred research into ecotoxicological effects in surface waters. Less is known about pharmaceuticals in sludge from wastewater treatment. Pharmaceuticals and pharmaceutical residues present in sludge could have significant consequences due to land application of sludge on agricultural fields, where chemicals may partition into soils and be taken up by plants. The effects of uptake by plants are not yet fully understood, but some pharmaceutical compounds have been detected in plant tissues. The objective of this study is to review what is currently known about pharmaceuticals, their transport through conventional wastewater treatment facilities, their detection in sludge, their pathways through soils and plants, and the consequences of pharmaceuticals in sludge to human and ecological health. Current efforts and strategies to prevent the release of pharmaceuticals to the environment are also reviewed. These topics were researched in a review of recent scientific literature from 79 peer-reviewed journals and government documents, 47 of which are cited in this review.

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