Article ID | Journal | Published Year | Pages | File Type |
---|---|---|---|---|
6309591 | Chemosphere | 2013 | 7 Pages |
Abstract
In this study, an analytical methodology was developed for the determination of psycho-active drugs in the treated effluent of the University Hospital at the Federal University of Santa Maria, RS - Brazil. Samples were collected from point A (Emergency) and point B (General effluent). The adopted methodology included a pre-concentration procedure involving the use of solid phase extraction and determination by liquid chromatography coupled to mass spectrometry. The limit of detection for bromazepam and lorazepam was 4.9 ± 1.0 ng Lâ1 and, for carbamazepine, clonazepam and diazepam was 6.1 ± 1.5 ng Lâ1. The limit of quantification was 30.0 ± 1.1 ng Lâ1, for bromazepam, clonazepam and lorazepam; for carbamazepine was 50.0 ± 1.8 ng Lâ1 and was 40.0 ± 1.0 ng Lâ1 for diazepam. The mean concentrations in the Emergency and General effluent treated currents were as follows: for bromazepam, 195 ± 6 ng Lâ1 and 137 ± 7 ng Lâ1; for carbamazepine, 590 ± 6 ng Lâ1 and 461 ± 10 ng Lâ1; for diazepam, 645 ± 1 ng Lâ1 and 571 ± 10 ng Lâ1; for lorazepam, 96 ± 7 ng Lâ1 and 42 ± 4 ng Lâ1; and for clonazepam, 134 ± 10 ng Lâ1 and 57 ± 10 ng Lâ1. A preliminary risk assessment was conducted: carbamazepine and diazepam require considerable attention owing to their environmental toxicity. The occurrence of these psychoactive-drugs and the environmental risks that they pose demonstrated the need for a more efficient treatment system. As far we are aware, there have been no comparable studies to this on the hazards of hospital effluents in Brazil, and very few that have carried out a risk assessment of psycho-active drugs in hospital effluent in general.
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Authors
Carlos Alberto A. de Almeida, Carla G.B. Brenner, Luciane Minetto, Carlos A. Mallmann, Ayrton F. Martins,