Bad Medicine? Drugs in the water

Summary

The script discusses the presence of pharmaceutical drugs in water sources due to human excretion. It highlights the concern that these drugs, even at low concentrations, can be harmful to aquatic life and potentially human health. Analytical chemistry tools like chromatography and mass spectrometry are used to detect drugs in water. The script suggests using activated carbon filters and considering alternative drug delivery methods like patches to reduce environmental impact. It also emphasizes the importance of efficient wastewater treatment to minimize pharmaceuticals entering the environment.

Takeaways

• 💊 Medications taken by humans are not fully absorbed by the body and are excreted, contributing to the presence of drugs in water bodies.
• 🌊 Drugs can enter lakes and rivers, potentially cycling back into our water supply through faucets.
• 🔍 The concern arises because pharmaceuticals are designed to be biologically active even at low concentrations, which can be more concerning for aquatic life and human health than some industrial chemicals.
• 🧪 Analytical chemistry techniques like chromatography and mass spectrometry are used to detect pharmaceuticals in water at very low levels.
• 🚰 Consumers can use activated carbon filters to reduce drug levels in tap water, but there are other considerations such as filter maintenance.
• 🚫 The speaker does not recommend bottled water as a solution due to the environmental impact and suggests looking for bottled water sourced from regulated tap water.
• 💡 Changing drug delivery methods, such as using patches, could reduce the amount of drugs entering the environment.
• 🔬 The speaker's lab is researching wastewater treatment environments to improve pharmaceutical removal without increasing the energy input or carbon footprint.
• 🌱 The goal is to remove pharmaceuticals from the environment before they reach drinking water treatment plants.
• 💧 Even with above-average precipitation, the issue of drugs in water is still a concern that needs ongoing attention and research.

Q & A

药物在水体中的存在是如何被检测出来的？

药物在水体中的存在是通过使用分析化学仪器，如色谱法和质谱法来检测的，这些技术可以非常清晰和自信地检测到药物的种类以及它们存在的水平。

消费者可以采取什么措施来去除水中的药物残留？

消费者可以使用活性炭类型的本地过滤器来减少水中的药物残留，但需要注意的是，必须维护这些过滤器，因为还有其他风险与之相关。此外，推荐使用来自自来水源的瓶装水，这样的水源受到EPA和FDA的监管。

改变药物传递方式如何有助于减少对环境的影响？

改变药物传递方式，例如使用贴片等技术，可以以比药丸更低的剂量将药物送入人体，这有助于减少进入环境的药物负荷。

实验室正在采取哪些措施来解决水中药物残留的问题？

实验室正在研究废水中的药品，特别是那些在有氧存在但水平非常低的环境中，这些环境在药物去除方面与提供大量氧气的环境相当。通过减少废水处理厂的能源输入和碳足迹，同时获得与仅仅投入大量氧气的处理厂相同水平的药物去除效果，可以更环保地解决问题。

为什么水中的药物残留是一个值得关注的环境问题？

水中的药物残留是值得关注的，因为药物被设计为在体内低水平时具有生物活性，因此即使是低浓度的药物也可能对水生生物或人类健康构成更大的关注。此外，药物残留可能对植物和水生动物构成威胁，并且通过饮用水对人类构成风险。

药物残留在水体中的风险分析目前处于什么状态？

目前，我们知道药物残留存在于水中，并且可以检测到它们，但关于它们是否存在于可能对人类健康构成风险的水平上，风险分析仍在进行中。

气候变化和城市化如何影响水中药物残留的问题？

气候变化和城市化可能会增加水体中药物残留的浓度，因为它们影响了水的循环和处理。例如，气候变化可能导致药物在水体中的降解速率变化，而城市化可能导致更多的药物通过废水进入水体。

药物残留在水体中的浓度受哪些因素影响？

药物残留在水体中的浓度受到地区、季节、药物使用模式、污水处理效率以及是否发生了大流行病等因素的影响。例如，冬季由于上呼吸道感染的流行，抗生素的使用量增加，这会导致废水中这些化合物的浓度增加。

为什么说药物残留是新兴的环境污染物？

药物残留被认为是新兴的环境污染物，因为它们在环境中的持久性和生物累积性，以及它们对生态系统和人类健康的潜在影响。这些化合物在环境中的设计是为了在低水平时具有生物活性，因此即使是低浓度也可能对水生生物或人类健康构成风险。

为什么说药物残留在饮用水中是一个全球性问题？

药物残留在饮用水中是一个全球性问题，因为它们在世界各地的水体中都有被发现，包括在非洲、亚洲、欧洲和美洲。这些化合物的全球分布和它们对人类健康的潜在影响，使得它们成为一个需要国际关注和协作解决的问题。

Outlines

00:00

💊 Pharmaceuticals in Water: A Growing Concern

The paragraph discusses the presence of pharmaceutical drugs in our water systems due to the fact that our bodies do not absorb all of the medication we consume, leading to it being excreted and potentially entering lakes, rivers, and eventually our tap water. The concern is that these drugs, even at low concentrations, can have significant ecological and health impacts, particularly on aquatic species and possibly human health. The speaker mentions that while we can detect these substances in water, the risk they pose to human health is still under evaluation. Analytical chemistry techniques like chromatography and mass spectrometry are used to detect pharmaceuticals in water, and the speaker suggests that using local filters, particularly those with activated carbon, can help reduce exposure. However, they also caution about the maintenance required for such filters and do not recommend bottled water as a solution, advocating instead for regulation and improved drug delivery methods to reduce environmental impact.

Keywords

💡Pharmaceuticals

Pharmaceuticals refer to drugs and medications designed to prevent, treat, or cure diseases. In the context of the video, pharmaceuticals are a concern because they are excreted by the body and can end up in water systems, potentially causing ecological and health issues. The video discusses how these substances, even at low concentrations, can be biologically active and harmful to aquatic life or human health, as they are not completely removed during wastewater treatment processes.

💡Eco-toxicological

Eco-toxicological refers to the study of the toxic effects of substances on ecosystems. In the video, this term is relevant because it highlights the potential harm that pharmaceuticals can cause to the environment. Low levels of pharmaceuticals in water can have significant impacts on aquatic species, which is a key area of concern when considering the presence of drugs in water bodies.

💡Wastewater Treatment

Wastewater treatment is the process of removing contaminants from wastewater. The video mentions that this process is not always effective at removing pharmaceuticals, leading to their presence in water systems. The script discusses the need for improved treatment methods to reduce the environmental impact of pharmaceuticals.

💡Analytical Chemistry Instruments

These are scientific instruments used to analyze the chemical composition of substances. The video script mentions the use of chromatography and mass spectrometry to detect pharmaceutical drugs in water. These instruments play a crucial role in identifying and measuring the levels of pharmaceuticals in the environment.

💡Activated Carbon Filter

An activated carbon filter is a type of filter that uses activated carbon to remove impurities from water. The video suggests using such a filter to reduce the intake of pharmaceuticals from tap water. Activated carbon filters are highlighted as a potential consumer solution to mitigate the presence of drugs in drinking water.

💡Drug Delivery

Drug delivery refers to methods or technologies used to administer pharmaceuticals in the body. The video discusses the potential of changing drug delivery methods, such as using patches, to reduce the amount of drugs that enter the environment. This could help decrease the overall load of pharmaceuticals in water systems.

💡Biodegradation

Biodegradation is the process by which living organisms break down substances into simpler components. In the video, biodegradation is mentioned as one of the processes that can help remove pharmaceuticals from wastewater. The script suggests that improving biodegradation processes in wastewater treatment plants could be a part of the solution to reduce pharmaceutical pollution.

💡Environmental Risk Analysis

Environmental risk analysis is the assessment of potential adverse effects that environmental factors or substances might have on ecosystems. The video script mentions that while pharmaceuticals are known to be present in water, the risk analysis associated with their presence is still being evaluated. This analysis is crucial for understanding the potential impacts on human health and the environment.

💡Ecological Risk

Ecological risk refers to the potential for harm to ecosystems due to exposure to harmful substances. The video discusses the need to understand the ecological risks posed by pharmaceuticals in water. This includes assessing how these substances might affect the health and behavior of aquatic organisms and the broader ecosystem.

💡Sorption

Sorption is the adhesion of molecules to the surface of a solid or liquid. In the video, sorption is mentioned as a process that can occur with pharmaceuticals in water systems. Some pharmaceuticals can bind to sediments or other materials, which can affect their transport and fate in the environment.

Highlights

Medication we take can end up in water bodies due to incomplete absorption by our bodies.

Pharmaceuticals are designed to be biologically active at low levels, making even small concentrations a concern.

The presence of drugs in water is confirmed through analytical chemistry instruments like chromatography and mass spectrometry.

The risk analysis of pharmaceuticals in water and their impact on human health is still being evaluated.

Consumers can use activated carbon filters to reduce pharmaceuticals in tap water.

Bottled water from tap sources is recommended as it is regulated by both EPA and FDA.

Changing drug delivery methods, such as patches, could reduce environmental loads.

Wastewater treatment in environments with low oxygen levels can effectively remove pharmaceuticals.

Reducing the energy input in wastewater treatment plants can lower the carbon footprint and cost.

The goal is to remove pharmaceuticals before they enter the environment to protect drinking water sources.

Current technologies to remove pharmaceuticals from water are expensive, but researchers are seeking more affordable solutions.

Even with above-average precipitation, the levels of pharmaceuticals in water may only begin to decrease slightly.

The importance of understanding the full course of medications and their environmental impact is emphasized.

The necessity for innovative solutions in wastewater treatment to address pharmaceutical pollution is highlighted.

The potential benefits of using low-oxygen environments for wastewater treatment in terms of cost and environmental impact are discussed.

The interviewee's lab is focused on studying pharmaceuticals in wastewater as a first step in drinking water treatment.

The interviewee is exploring ways to optimize wastewater treatment to remove pharmaceuticals without excessive oxygen input.

Transcripts

much of the medication we take ends up

in our water our bodies don't absorb

everything and so the rest gets flushed

down the toilet

some of it ends up in our lakes and

rivers and can cycle back to our faucets

what do we know about drugs in the water

and what are we doing about it certainly

it's an area of concern we take drugs as

pills and the way that they're designed

is that you take a much higher mass of

concentration than your body meets the

vast majority of it is emitted as waste

and so we basically pee out the vast

majority of what we're taking but when

it comes to pharmaceuticals they are

designed to be biologically active in

your body at low levels and so a low

concentration of a pharmaceutical is of

greater concern from a eco toxicological

or for aquatic species or for human

health then would may be some industrial

chemical at the same level you're saying

that we we believe they're in the water

but we're not sure if they're there at a

level that would pose a risk to human

health is they know they're in the water

because we can detect them but yes the

risk analysis associated with that I

think is certainly still being evaluated

so how do we know there are

pharmaceutical drugs in the water we use

analytical chemistry instruments we use

chromatography and mass spectrometry

significantly to a degree where we can

detect them very clearly and confidently

what is there and and what levels that

they're there is there anything right

now that a consumer can do to remove

these things i I drink tap water I think

you can use a local filter if you want

the activated carbon type of filter at

the use but there are other risks

associated with those because you have

to maintain your filters you can't be

recommending that bottled water is the

solution no no I'm not if I find myself

in a situation where I have to use

bottled water I look for a bottled water

that has either come from a tap source

so that's EPA regulated and then it has

FDA regulations on top of it I think the

solution is up

I think changing drug delivery could be

a huge help to reducing loads into the

environment they have technologies

patches etc that bring drugs into our

body at much lower doses than a pill

what are you doing in your lab to

address this issue I study the

pharmaceuticals on the wastewater side

which we view is the first step in

drinking water treatment environments

that have oxygen present but at very low

levels they perform comparably in terms

of pharmaceutic removal to environments

where we do provide a lot of oxygen

putting oxygen into the wastewater

treatment plant to enable treatment is

half the cost of the treatment plant and

it's the vast majority of the carbon

footprint so if we can reduce the energy

input and the carbon footprint at a

treatment plant and at the same time get

the same level of pharmaceutical removal

that's better than a truant plant that

just puts all that oxygen in let's go

for it so that's what we're looking at I

want to do what I can to get it out

before it enters into the environment so

that it doesn't end up at the drinking

water plant we're beginning to

understand the full course of our

medications today the technology is to

take them out of the water are very

expensive but researchers are looking

for solutions right now we're in a

period where even if we have

above-average precipitation and snowmelt

as spring which we're very likely to

have we might only then begin to start

creeping back towards though