Contamination of Pharmaceutical and Personal Care Products in Sewage Treatment Plants and Surface Waters in South Korea and their Removal during Activated Sludge Treatment

The present study demonstrates the seasonal variations of concentrations of pharmaceutical and personal care products(PPCPs) in influents and effluents at two sewage treatment plants (STPs) and the surface water of Mankyung River, South Korea. PPCPs were measured using a high performance liquid chromatograph coupled with a tandem mass spectrometer(LC-MS/MS). In the two STPs surveyed, all of the 13 targeted PPCPs were detected at concentrations ranging from ND (not detected) to 13700 ng/L in the influents, and ND to 1940 ng/L in the effluents, with total PPCP concentrations being higher in winter than in other seasons in both STP influents and effluents. While the removal efficiencies of disopyramide, ibuprofen, triclosan, erythromycin, atenolol and indomethacin of the STPs were relatively high (average 60-90%), those of clarithromycin, carbamazepine, fluconazole, propranolol and ifenprodil were extremely low (average 0-30%).The prevalent contaminants in the river water in all seasons were carbamazepine (ND to 595 ng/L), followed by atenolol (ND-690 ng/L), ibuprofen (ND-414 ng/L), mefenamic acid (ND-326 ng/L), levofloxacin (ND-380 ng/L), clarithromycin(ND-443 ng/L), fluconazole (ND-111 ng/L), erythromycin (ND-152 ng/L), propranolol (ND-268 ng/L), ifenprodil (ND-38.5 ng/L), indomethacin (ND-58.2 ng/L), triclosan (ND-46.1 ng/L) and disopyramide (ND). Concentrations of PPCPs in surface river water collected from five sample sites trended to be higher in November than in March, May and August. It was proposed that the reasons for the observed seasonal variations in PPCP concentrations may be increased consumption by the inhabitants of the Mankyung River basin and the decreased river flow during this period leading to increased relative concentrations of these compounds in water. In addition, PPCP concentrations were greater in the surface water samples collected in the vicinity of STPs, so STPs act as a point source of PPCP pollution.