| Abstract | Pharmaceuticals as environmental contaminants have received a lot of interest over the past decade but for several pharmaceuticals, relatively little is known about their occurrence in European surface waters. Benzodiazepines, a class of pharmaceuticals with anxiolytic properties, have received interest due to their behavioral modifying effect on exposed biota. In this study, our results show the presence of one or more benzodiazepine(s) in 86% of the analyzed surface water samples (n ¼ 138) from 30 rivers, representing seven larger European catchments. Of the 13 benzodiazepines included in the study, we detected 9, which together showed median and mean concentrations (of the results above limit of quantification) of 5.4 and 9.6 ng L-1, respectively. Four benzodiazepines (oxazepam, temazepam, clobazam, and bromazepam) were the most commonly detected. In particular, oxazepam had the highest frequency of detection (85%) and a maximum concentration of 61 ng L-1. Temazepam and clobazam were found in 26% (maximum concentration of 39 ng L-1) and 14% (maximum concentration of 11 ng L-1) of the samples analyzed, respectively. Finally, bromazepam was found only in Germany and in 16 out of total 138 samples (12%), with a maximum concentration of 320 ng L-1. This study clearly shows that benzodiazepines are common micro-contaminants of the largest European river systems at ng L-1 levels.
Although these concentrations are more than a magnitude lower than those reported to have effective effects on exposed biota, environmental effects cannot be excluded considering the possibility of additive and sub-lethal effects. |
| Authors | Fick J., Brodin T., Heynen M., Klaminder J., Jonsson M., Grabicova K., Randak T., Grabic R., Kodes V., Slobodnik J., Sweetman A., Earnshaw M., Barra Caracciolo A., Lettieri T., Loos R. |
| Text | 371475 2017 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2017.02.126 Scopus 2 s2.0 85014451666 ISI Web of Science WOS 000399849300037 Anxiolytics Oxazepam Temazepam Clobazam Bromazepam Screening of benzodiazepines in thirty European rivers Fick J., Brodin T., Heynen M., Klaminder J., Jonsson M., Grabicova K., Randak T., Grabic R., Kodes V., Slobodnik J., Sweetman A., Earnshaw M., Barra Caracciolo A., Lettieri T., Loos R. Department of Chemistry, Umeå University, Sweden; Department of Ecology and Environmental Science, Umeå University, Sweden; Faculty of Fisheries and Protection of Waters, University of South Bohemia in Ceske Budejovice, South Bohemian Research Center of Aquaculture and Biodiversity of Hydrocenoses, Vodnany, Czech Republic; Czech Hydrometeorological Institute, Prague, Czech Republic; Environmental Institute, Kos, , Slovakia; Lancaster Environment Centre, Lancaster University, Lancaster, , United Kingdom; National Research Council, Water Research Institute, Rome, ,Italy; Italy; European Commission, Joint Research Centre JRC , Directorate D Sustainable Resources, Water and Marine Resources, Ispra, , Italy Pharmaceuticals as environmental contaminants have received a lot of interest over the past decade but for several pharmaceuticals, relatively little is known about their occurrence in European surface waters. Benzodiazepines, a class of pharmaceuticals with anxiolytic properties, have received interest due to their behavioral modifying effect on exposed biota. In this study, our results show the presence of one or more benzodiazepine s in 86% of the analyzed surface water samples n ¼ 138 from 30 rivers, representing seven larger European catchments. Of the 13 benzodiazepines included in the study, we detected 9, which together showed median and mean concentrations of the results above limit of quantification of 5.4 and 9.6 ng L 1, respectively. Four benzodiazepines oxazepam, temazepam, clobazam, and bromazepam were the most commonly detected. In particular, oxazepam had the highest frequency of detection 85% and a maximum concentration of 61 ng L 1. Temazepam and clobazam were found in 26% maximum concentration of 39 ng L 1 and 14% maximum concentration of 11 ng L 1 of the samples analyzed, respectively. Finally, bromazepam was found only in Germany and in 16 out of total 138 samples 12% , with a maximum concentration of 320 ng L 1. This study clearly shows that benzodiazepines are common micro contaminants of the largest European river systems at ng L 1 levels. Although these concentrations are more than a magnitude lower than those reported to have effective effects on exposed biota, environmental effects cannot be excluded considering the possibility of additive and sub lethal effects. 176 Published version http //www.scopus.com/record/display.url eid=2 s2.0 85014451666 origin=inward Screening of benzodiazepines in thirty European rivers Paper Chemosphere2017benzodiazepine.pdf Articolo in rivista Elsevier 0045 6535 Chemosphere Chemosphere Chemosphere Chemosphere. Chemosphere. Environmental chemistry, Chemosphere. Persistent organic pollutants and dioxins, Chemosphere. Environmental toxicology and risk assessment, Chemosphere. Science for Environmental toxicology, anna.barracaracciolo BARRA CARACCIOLO ANNA MICROCOKIT Microbial Community based sequencing analysis linked to anthropogenic pressures MicroCoKit to address the water quality TA.P04.005.011 Vulnerabilita degli ecosistemi delle acque sotterranee e attenuazione naturale degli inquinanti nel suolo e nel sottosuolo |
