Pharmaceuticals in Water and Wastewater – Overview

Abstract The paper presents concentrations of pharmaceuticals in surface water and sewage. Special attention was paid to the content of estrogens in municipal sewage and the method of their disposal. Concentrations of various pharmaceuticals in raw and treated wastewater were compared and the pharmaceuticals in different countries and waters were presented in tables. The most frequently identified drugs in sewage are sex hormones (etradiol, ester, ethinylestradiol, 17 β-estradiol) and the antiepileptic drug Carbamazepine. These drugs are difficult to remove from water and therefore appropriate treatment processes are used, such as: adsorption on active carbon, UV irradiation, etc. Contamination of water with pharmaceuticals has a negative impact on the development of aquatic organisms and can lead to serious human health problems.