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Determination of the psychoactive drugs carbamazepine and diazepam in hospital effluent and identification of their metabolites

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Abstract

This study addresses the occurrence of carbamazepine and diazepam and their metabolites in the wastewater of the University Hospital (HUSM) of the Federal University of Santa Maria, RS-Brazil. Samples were collected from three sampling points of the sewage treatment system: point A (‘emergency effluent’), point B (‘general effluent’) and point C (‘water course–receptor’). Eight metabolites were identified: carbamazepine-10-11-epoxide, 10-dihydro-carbamazepine, 2-OH-carbamazepine, iminoquinone, acridone, nordiazepam, oxazepam and temazepam. The mean concentrations in the emergency, general effluent and water course–receptor were as follows: 433.0 ± 4.7, 349.0 ± 5.0 and 485.0 ± 5.6 ng L−1, for carbamazepine and 550.0 ± 4.3, 441.0 ± 7.9 and 586.6 ± 9.3 ng L−1, for diazepam, respectively. Liquid chromatography with electrospray ionization tandem mass spectrometry (LC-QqLIT-MS) proved to be a method fit-to-purpose. The determination of carbamazepine and diazepam, and the identification of active metabolites showing environmental persistence (carbamazepine-10-11-epoxide, nordiazepam and oxazepam) revealed the need for a more effective treatment of the HUSM effluent. As far as we know, no similar study has been carried out on the wastewater of Brazilian hospitals.

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Acknowledgments

The authors would like to express their gratitude to the CNPq (Brazilian National Council of Scientific and Technological Development) for its financial support.

The authors have declared no conflict of interest.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Chemistry Department, Federal University of Santa Maria, Santa Maria, RS, Brazil

    Carlos A. A. de Almeida & Ayrton F. Martins

  2. Department of Preventive Veterinary Medicine, Federal University of Santa Maria, Santa Maria, RS, Brazil

    Carlos A. A. de Almeida, Maurício S. Oliveira & Carlos A. Mallmann

  3. Departamento de Química, Universidade Federal de Santa Maria, Campus Camobi, CEP 97105-900, Santa Maria, RS, Brazil

    Ayrton F. Martins

Authors
  1. Carlos A. A. de Almeida
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  2. Maurício S. Oliveira
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  3. Carlos A. Mallmann
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  4. Ayrton F. Martins
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Ayrton F. Martins.

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Responsible editor: Ester Heath

Statement of novelty

There is a lack of knowledge about the occurrence of psychoactive drugs and their metabolites in hospital effluents, particularly, of developing countries. Since the wastewater treatment systems are often ineffective, psychoactive drugs are able to reach the aquatic environment. There are no data on the occurrence of carbamazepine and diazepam, or of their metabolites, in Brazilian hospital effluents.

Highlights

• Two psychoactive drugs and their metabolites were studied in hospital effluent.

• Carbamazepine and diazepam were determined in ng L−1.

• Eight metabolites of psychoactive drugs were found.

• The LC-QqLIT-MS method was found to be fit-to-purpose.

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de Almeida, C.A.A., Oliveira, M.S., Mallmann, C.A. et al. Determination of the psychoactive drugs carbamazepine and diazepam in hospital effluent and identification of their metabolites. Environ Sci Pollut Res 22, 17192–17201 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-015-4948-y

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-015-4948-y

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