Ranking and prioritization of environmental risks of pharmaceuticals in surface waters

• Published in: Regulatory toxicology and pharmacology Vol. 39; no. 2; pp. 158 - 183
• Main Authors: Sanderson, Hans, Johnson, David J, Reitsma, Tamara, Brain, Richard A, Wilson, Christian J, Solomon, Keith R
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Netherlands Elsevier Inc 01.04.2004
• Subjects: Analgesics anti-inflammatory drugs and antipyretics; Animals; Anthelmintics; Antibacterials; Antidiabetics; Antidressants; Antiepileptics; Antifungals; Antigout; Antihistamines; Antimalarials; Antimigraine; Antimuscarinics; Antineoplastcs and immunosuppressants; Antiprotozoals; Antivirals; Anxiolytic sedatives hyponotics antipsychotics; Blood products plasma expanders and haemostatics; Bone modulators; Bronchodilators anti-asthma; Cardiovascular; Chelators antidotes antagonists; Colours; Contrast media; Corticosteroids; Cough suppressants expectorants mucolystics nasal; Daphnia - drug effects; Dermatological; Disfectants preservatives; Dopaminergics; Drug-Related Side Effects and Adverse Reactions; Electrolytes; Eukaryota - drug effects; European Union; Fishes; Fresh Water - chemistry; Gases; Gastrointestinal; General anesthetics; Hazardous Substances - classification; Hazardous Substances - toxicity; Hazardous Waste - adverse effects; Hypothalamic pituiary hormones; Industrial Waste - adverse effects; Local anesthetics; Muscle relaxants; Neuromuscular blockers; Nonionic surfactants; Nutrional agents vitamins; Organic solvents; Paraffins similar bases; Parasympathomimetics; Pesticides repellents; Pharmaceutical Preparations - classification; Prostaglandins; Quantitative Structure-Activity Relationship; Radiopharmaceuticals; Risk Assessment; Sewage - adverse effects; Sewage - analysis; Sex hormones; Soaps anionic surfactants; Stabilizing suspending agents; Stimulants anorectics; Sunscreens; Thyroid antithyroid; Toxicity Tests; Vaccines immunoglobulins antisera; Water Pollutants, Chemical - classification; Water Pollutants, Chemical - toxicity; Water Supply - analysis; Water Supply - standards; Antifungals; Paraffins similar bases; Dopaminergics; Anthelmintics; Antimalarials; Disfectants preservatives; Gastrointestinal; Antigout; Bone modulators; Stabilizing suspending agents; Antidiabetics; Blood products plasma expanders and haemostatics; Antidressants; Antibacterials; Hypothalamic pituiary hormones; Chelators antidotes antagonists; Radiopharmaceuticals; Anxiolytic sedatives hyponotics antipsychotics; Antiprotozoals; Corticosteroids; Muscle relaxants; Organic solvents; Parasympathomimetics; Nutrional agents vitamins; Gases; Sex hormones; Soaps anionic surfactants; Nonionic surfactants; Antineoplastcs and immunosuppressants; Stimulants anorectics; Local anesthetics; General anesthetics; Cardiovascular; Antimuscarinics; Prostaglandins; Antimigraine; Colours; Bronchodilators anti-asthma; Neuromuscular blockers; Contrast media; Antihistamines; Pesticides repellents; Antiepileptics; Cough suppressants expectorants mucolystics nasal; Sunscreens; Vaccines immunoglobulins antisera; Antivirals; Electrolytes; Analgesics anti-inflammatory drugs and antipyretics; Dermatological; Thyroid antithyroid
• ISSN: 0273-2300; 1096-0295
• DOI: 10.1016/j.yrtph.2003.12.006

Pharmaceuticals have been reported in surface waters, prompting legitimate public concern, as pharmaceuticals are biologically active compounds used daily by the public. Currently there are ecotoxicological data available for <1%, thus, the European Union Commission’s Scientific committee on Toxicity, Ecotoxicity, and Environment (CSTEE) recommended use of (Q)SAR models and precaution to prioritize further risk assessment of ∼4500 compounds and their adjuvants. We ranked 2986 different pharmaceutical compounds in 51 classes relative to hazard toward algae, daphnids, and fish using the EPIWIN program. This ranking cannot be used to acquit a compound based on predicted relative ranking. Modifying additives were the most toxic classes. Cardiovascular, gastrointestinal, antiviral, anxiolytic sedatives hypnotics and antipsychotics, corticosteroid, and thyroid pharmaceuticals were the predicted most hazardous therapeutic classes. The overall relative order of susceptibility was estimated to be daphnids > fish > algae. Expert judgment is needed to assess specific hazards for classes like microbial resistance and antibiotics, sex hormones, and endocrine disruptors. As human health and the function of ecological systems are interconnected and subject to the precautionary principle, harmonization of evidence for correlation and causality of adverse effects seems sensible in an ethical and cost-effective context to facilitate substitution of hazardous compounds. Data available: http://www.uoguelph.ca/~hsander/.