Pharmaceuticals, Personal Care Products and Endocrine Disrupting Agents in the Environment – A Review

Abstract

In the last few years, concerns about the environmental fate and behavior of synthetic organic chemicals for hygienic use detected in waters have increased. Several of these compounds are used intensively, in large volumes, are persistent, bioactive and exhibit bioaccumulation and endocrine disrupting activity. Some pharmaceuticals, including analgesics, antibiotics, antiepilieptics, β‐blockers, blood‐lipid regulators and contraceptives also have the potential to determine various physiologic responses in aquatic organisms. Other compounds (natural hormones and several industrial and household chemicals) able to affect organisms in receiving waters are also endocrine disrupting agents. A lack of information still exists regarding the potential impact associated with the occurrence, fate and ecotoxicological effects of endocrine disruptors, including pharmaceuticals and personal care compounds in the environment since few compounds were inventoried or regulated worldwide. In some cases, there are no legal requirements to assess the impact of long‐term exposure to low concentration of these chemicals. This may be because important classes of these compounds have not been studied in detail up to now due to the non‐availability of suitable instrumental techniques or analytical standards for low concentration levels. Recently, the appearance of sophisticated tests for monitoring environmental contamination has revealed the presence of these types of contaminants at lower levels, down to nanograms per liter. This constitutes an important tool in the development of guidelines to monitor and/or update environmental compliance reports. The current survey aims to combine information from the literature on the environmental occurrence, fate and effects of personal care products and endocrine disrupting agents on the environment; as well as on the treatment options for their removal from wastewaters.