Physical Sciences and Mathematics Commons^™

The Occurrence Of Illicit And Therapeutic Pharmaceuticals In Wastewater Effluent And Surface Waters In Nebraska, Shannon L. Bartelt-Hunt, Daniel D. Snow, Teyona Damon, Johnette Shockley, Kyle Hoagland

Nebraska Water Center: Faculty Publications

Passive samplers were used to develop semi-quantitative estimates of pharmaceutical concentrations in receiving waters influenced by wastewater effluent. The occurrence and estimated concentration of twenty illicit and therapeutic pharmaceuticals and metabolites in surface waters influenced by wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) discharge and in wastewater effluents in Nebraska were determined using Polar Organic Chemical Integrative Samplers (POCIS). Samplers were installed in rivers upstream and downstream of treated WWTP discharge at four sites and in a discharge canal at a fifth location. Based on differences in estimated concentrations determined from pharmaceuticals recovered from POCIS, WWTP effluent was found to be a significant …