FocusEPA studies threat of drugs in drinking water

13 August 2008 18:53  [Source: ICIS news]

By Feliza Mirasol

NEW YORK (ICIS news)--The US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is evaluating methods to treat pharmaceutical contamination of drinking water, the agency said on Wednesday.

“EPA is currently analyzing over 400 reports or studies of the performance of current or promising treatment technologies for contaminants of emerging concern such as pharmaceuticals,” said Enesta Jones, a spokeswoman for the agency.

The EPA is also compiling a list of effective filtering techniques, and is evaluating overall trends in the treatment of these emerging contaminants in wastewaters, said Jones. The agency plans to issue its report by the end of this calendar year.

The move was prompted by an Associated Press (AP) report published in March, stating that a variety of pharmaceuticals were found in drinking water sources across the US, said Jones.

An AP investigative team conducted a study from roughly October 2007-March 2008. The team published findings that showed drinking water containing epileptic and anxiety medications in Southern California.

The study also found a sex hormone in San Francisco’s drinking water, and three medications in the water supply of Tucson, Arizona. Other contaminated areas included Northern New Jersey, where a mood-stabilizing drug known as carbamazepine, and a metabolized angina drug were found.

Further research is needed to determine the extent of ecological harm and any potential threat to human health, said the EPA. The agency announced last Wednesday that it had commissioned the National Academy of Sciences to provide scientific advice on the potential risks.

Other actions the EPA is taking include expanding a recent fish tissue pilot study to sample on a national level, and to determine whether residues from pharmaceuticals and personal care products (PPCPs) may be present in fish and waterways.

The agency is also developing a methodology to establish water quality criteria to protect aquatic life, and is conducting studies to examine the potential occurrence of PPCPs in sewage sludge and wastewater.

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By: Feliza Mirasol
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