Prioritization and analysis of pharmaceuticals for human use contaminating the aquatic ecosystem in Italy

- A predictive approach to monitor pharmaceuticals in the environment is proposed.
- All prioritized pharmaceuticals were detected in STP effluent and river water.
- After refinement the PECs approximated the measured values (MECs) in many cases.
- But for OTC pharmaceuticals the PECs were frequently underestimated.
- The use of specific analytical data increased accuracy of the prediction locally.