Characteristic Occurrence and Distributions of Pharmaceuticals in the Nakdong River

Abstract

In this study, the occurrence and temporal variation of eight pharmaceuticals comprising antibiotics (clarithromycin, sulfathiazole, sulfamethazine, sulfamethoxazole, trimethoprim), scabicide (carbamazepine) and nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (acetylsalicylic acid, naproxen) in main stream and its tributary of the Nakdong River basin, were investigated. Concentrations of the target compounds ranged from <LOQ to 1.076 g/L. The highest average concentration was observed for clarithromycin (0.0316 g/L), followed by sulfamethazine (0.0170 g/L), sulfamethoxazole (0.0161 g/L), naproxen (0.0129 g/L), carbamazepine (0.0093 g/L), acetylsalicylic acid (0.0047 g/L), sulfathiazole (0.0024 g/L) and trimethoprim (0.0022 g/L). The decreasing pattern of pharmaceutical concentrations was observed along with Nakdong River and the higher concentrations in downstream were observed than those in upstream. There was no temporal variation of the target compounds although the highest level was found in February. The calculated hazard quotients (HQs) for eight pharmaceuticals were below 1, indicating no environmental hazard in Nakdong River. However, further monitoring is still needed due to the other pharmaceuticals widely used in Korea.