Occurrence and ranking of pharmaceuticals in the major rivers of China

• Published in: The Science of the total environment Vol. 696; p. 133991
• Main Authors: Li, Yan, Ding, Jie, Zhang, Luyan, Liu, Xianshu, Wang, Guangyuan
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Netherlands Elsevier B.V 15.12.2019
• Subjects: China; Environmental Monitoring; Major rivers; Pharmaceutical Preparations - analysis; Pharmaceuticals; Prioritization; Rivers; Water Pollutants, Chemical - analysis; China; FF; PRC; SCP; SMZ; TAP; Aps; SPD; Prioritization; FQs; RTM; β-Ls; Major rivers; FLU; NSMX; OFL; CFZ; IBU; DIC; ETM-H2O; SAs; TCs; SDZ; CIP; SMD; BZF; NOR; SMM; AZM; MLs; PCG; TMP; SQX; NAP; CTM; IND; Pharmaceuticals; ETM; OTC; SMX
• ISSN: 0048-9697; 1879-1026
• DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2019.133991

Residual pharmaceuticals have received widespread attention worldwide due to their continuous release and potential hazard to the environment. As a result of rapid development and a large population, China has become a country with high production and consumption of pharmaceuticals. This may be the main reason for the high detection frequencies and concentrations of pharmaceuticals in the aquatic environment in China. Rivers represent an important water resource and play an important role in the sustainable development of the Chinese economy and society. This study summarizes the occurrence of frequently detected pharmaceuticals in major rivers. A hazard score based on the occurrence, exposure potential, and environmental effects of pharmaceuticals was calculated and a prioritization approach was used to rank 166 pharmaceuticals that were detected in the aquatic environment of major rivers in China. The priority list provides a basis for selecting candidate pharmaceuticals for future site-specific monitoring in rivers. [Display omitted] •Regional distribution of 166 pharmaceuticals in major rivers in China was studied.•Pharmaceutical ranking list was determined based on three criteria.•A priority list of fourteen pharmaceuticals was identified.•The highest hazardous risk of pharmaceuticals was found in Pearl River.