Citation

Calisto V, Esteves VI. Chemosphere 2009; 77(10): 1257-1274.

Affiliation

CESAM and Department of Chemistry, University of Aveiro, Campus de Santiago, 3810-193 Aveiro, Portugal.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2009, Elsevier Publishing)

DOI

10.1016/j.chemosphere.2009.09.021

PMID

19815251

Abstract

Psychiatric pharmaceuticals, such as anxiolytics, sedatives, hypnotics, and antidepressants, are among the most prescribed active substances throughout the world. The occurrence of these widely used compounds in environmental matrices (wastewaters, surface, ground and drinking waters, soils, sediments, bio-solids and tissue), as well as the first studies indicating their high persistence and toxicity to non-target organisms, justify the growing concern about these emerging environmental pollutants. Despite this increasing interest, there is a considerable lack of knowledge about the environmental fate of a large number of psychiatric pharmaceuticals and further research about this topic is needed. This paper aims to review the literature data related to the occurrence, persistence, environmental fate and toxicity for non-target organisms of this group of pharmaceuticals. The analytical methods developed for the determination of psychiatric medicines in environmental matrices are also highlighted.

Language: en