Projects / Programmes
Psychoactive pharmaceuticals and their transformation products in water treatment processes
| Code |
Science |
Field |
Subfield |
| 1.08.00 |
Natural sciences and mathematics |
Control and care of the environment |
|
| Code |
Science |
Field |
| B003 |
Biomedical sciences |
Ecology |
| Code |
Science |
Field |
| 1.05 |
Natural Sciences |
Earth and related Environmental sciences |
psychoactive pharmaceuticals; transformation products; water treatment; environment; ecotoxicity.
Researchers (1)
| no. |
Code |
Name and surname |
Research area |
Role |
Period |
No. of publicationsNo. of publications |
| 1. |
27733 |
PhD Tina Kosjek |
Control and care of the environment |
Head |
2010 - 2012 |
360 |
Organisations (1)
| no. |
Code |
Research organisation |
City |
Registration number |
No. of publicationsNo. of publications |
| 1. |
0106 |
Jožef Stefan Institute |
Ljubljana |
5051606000 |
90,724 |
Abstract
Psychoactive drugs are a group of pharmaceuticals that are being dispensed in increasing quantities due to a developing health care system, demographic changes, increasing awareness of mental health issues and in response to the psychological stresses caused by modern life, which can result in various forms of psychiatric disorders. As a consequence, the use of antidepressants has been, for example in Slovenia, increasing at 15 % annually. The increasing consumption is reflected by higher burden posed to the environment with psychoactive pharmaceutical residues, the cycling, fate and effects of which have not yet been well recognised.
The aim of the proposed postdoctoral project is to fill in the knowledge gaps on the environmental impact of psychoactive drugs by combining research in environmental analytical chemistry, ecotechnology and ecotoxicology. The four leading antidepressants: escitalopram, sertraline, paroxetine and fluoxetine and four widespread drugs with tranquilizing and hypnotic effects: diazepam, bromazepam, alprazolam and zolpidem, were selected as model compounds to study. Since their degradation products formed during water treatment or in the environment have been identified to a minor extent only, and their behaviour, fate and environmental effects have not been recognised, an in-depth knowledge of these compounds is important not only to perform a comprehensive risk assessment involving both parent pharmaceuticals and their degradation products, but also provides a new challenge to treatment systems for potable water, wastewater and water reuse. The proposed postdoctoral project will in the first phase address identification of transformation products of selected psychoactive pharmaceuticals using a laboratory scale experiments simulating wastewater/drinking water treatment and environmental conditions. Once transformation products are identified, their occurrence will be, together with the parent pharmaceuticals, determined in psychiatric and general hospital discharges, in municipal wastewater treatment plants, as well as in Slovenian surface waters. Further, the ecotoxicity of the individual compounds, both parent psychoactive pharmaceuticals and their transformation products and their mixtures obtained by water treatment will also be determined in order to account for potential combinatory effects. These data will be then used to evaluate the environmental impact of psychoactive pharmaceutical residues, which may represent a basis for future environmental risk assessment. The results of the proposed research are also of economical importance as they may give decisive hints in development of efficient and cost-effective technologies for treating waters burdened with trace level persistent organic pollutants, such as pharmaceuticals.
Significance for science
The postdoctoral research project is based on the previous experience of the project leader involving the following elements of originality to induce further scientific development:
- Original analytical methods for determination of tranquilizers / hypnotics (bromazepam, oxazepam, diazepam) and for determination of antidepressants (citalopram, fluoxetine, paroxetine and sertraline) in environmental water matrices. To my knowledge the analytical method for determination of bromazepam and oxazepam has so far not yet been implemented.
- The assessment of occurrence of psychoactive pharmaceuticals in Slovene water environment. This is the first research to be performed in Slovenia, which deals with psychoactive pharmaceuticals as pollutants.
- Coupling different treatment technologies to improve the elimination of persistent pharmaceuticals.
- The identification of unknown pharmaceutical transformation products, formed during water treatment or in the environment, is a new dimension in research in the field of environmental sciences. In view of sophisticated instrumental equipment and the expertise of the project leader, there are only few laboratories (including the Group for organic analytical chemistry, Department of Environmental Sciences, JSI) capable to perform this kind of research.
The postdoctoral project combines the research in environmental analytical chemistry, ecotechnology and ecotoxicology. This complexity will improve interpretation of the findings, which may meet a wide response in the scientific community. Despite a high relevance, there exist hardly any information regarding the identity, fate and effects of psychoactive pharmaceuticals’ transformation products; therefore the main focus of the proposed project will be devoted to this segment.
The results of the first year of the project are published in four original research articles, two book chapters and were presented in four international conferences. In view of the emerging importance of this research area a high number of citations on this research are expected.
Significance for the country
To our knowledge, there have not yet been any projects in Slovenia addressing the issue of the occurrence, fate and degradation of antidepressants, sleeping agents and tranquilisers in the environment. These compounds are increasingly applied and often abused. Outcomes of our research will influence general public awareness on the burden that pharmaceutical residues pose on the environment and drinking water, and also on their potential toxic effects. In this sense, we have in the framework of project Z1-3677 continued with promotion of our research within scientific and general public circles. This will impact the public understanding regarding the importance of proper disposal of pharmaceuticals and waste in general. We believe that our scientific papers and conference presentations related to this project have contributed towards promotion of Slovene science and the country. This is confirmed with a recent publication that has been carried out with the funds from this project and was published in Water Research in 2012. In regards to our publication Swedish researchers exposed perch to an anti-anxiety drug and transformation product oxazepam, finding that the drug altered behaviour of fish from natural populations. The study was published in the journal Science 15 (2013), DOI: 10.1126/science.1226850, and cites our research. The agressiveness is only one of numerous effects that the pharmaceutical residues may have on the aquatic environment. It is expected that through in-depth knowledge on fate and cycling of pharmaceuticals in the environment, the scientific community will contribute to the improvement of European legislation regarding limiting the discharge of pharmaceuticals into the environment.
Most important scientific results
Annual report
2010,
2011,
final report,
complete report on dLib.si
Most important socioeconomically and culturally relevant results
Annual report
2010,
2011,
final report,
complete report on dLib.si
