Non-Target Screening Of Organic Micropollutants In Durgam Cheruvu Lake, India

– The main objective of this study is to evaluate the water quality of Durgam Cheruvu Lake, Hyderabad, India by comprehensively analysing organic micropollutants. Samples were collected from three different sites in the lake and nontargeted screening was performed using liquid chromatography-quadrupole time-of-flight (LC-QTOF). A total of 183 compounds were detected in all samples. This includes pharmaceuticals, herbicides, fungicides, pesticides, hormones, steroids, UV filters, plasticizers, cyanotoxins, and metabolites. In all samples, pharmaceuticals accounted for approximately 50%, herbicides 8%, and metabolites 9%. The high abundance va lues were observed for 17 α β – Dihydroequilin, Avobenzone, Sibutramine, Butachlor, Napropamide, and Estriol at all the sampling locations. Estriol and 17αβ – Dihydroequilin are classified as the largest endocrine disruptors among many micropollutants. Eutrophication-related cyanotoxins including Microcystin-LR and Anatoxin-A have been identified in the lake. Additionally, the urine metabolites of Clarithromycin, Flunitrazepam, and other transformed metabolites of cocaine-d3 and Amitriptyline were discovered. Overall, veterinary medications, narcotic pharmaceuticals, pain killers, anti-psychotic, anti-depressant, and anti-obesity drugs were found to be the most prevalent components in the lake samples, indicating the discharge of domestic and industrial wastewater into the lake.