1. Pharmaceuticals, Hormones, and Other Wastewater Contaminants in U.S. Streams Herb Buxton Coordinator, Toxic Substances Hydrology Program

2. Goal To provide information on emerging water quality issues that supports: Water-quality monitoring and assessment, Contamination management and prevention, Health-effects research, and Chemical licensing & use.

3. Develop sensitive and specific methods to measure trace organics at low levels. Study Objectives: Evaluate environmental occurrence in “susceptible” waters

4. Wastewater Treatment Facilities. Domestic Septic Systems. Industrial Discharges. Wastewater Pathways WWTF, Atlanta

5. Hog Facility, South Fork Iowa River Animal Feeding Operations  Waste lagoons  Land application Aquaculture Wastewater Pathways

6. “Susceptible” Streams Susceptible to Sources of Human, Animal, and Industrial Waste 139 streams in 30 states 52 Urbanized. 62 Animal Production. 17 Mixed Land Use. 8 Minimally Developed.

7. Stream Monitoring Network (1999-2000)

8. Target Chemicals: 95 Organic Wastewater Compounds 22 Antibiotics 14 Prescription Drugs 5 Nonprescription Drugs 15 Hormones and Steroids 39 Household and Industrial Compounds

9. 5 Detergent byproducts 7 Plastics 5 Antioxidants 2 Fire retardants 8 Insecticides/repellant 3 Disinfectants/antimicrobials Others (fumigant, fragrance, PAHs)

10. 1 or more compound found in 80% of streams sampled. 82 of 95 compounds detected at least once (8 antibiotics & 5 other drugs not detected). Measured concentrations generally low; (30 most freq. detected, only ~5% > 1 ppb). General Results

11. Multiple detections were common. - As many as 38 compounds in a sample; 34% had more than 10. - Aggregate conc. as high as 80 ppb, 25% more than 6 ppb. Less susceptible sites had fewer compounds and lower concentrations. 14 of 95 compounds have health standards or guidelines. General Results

12. Information by Chemical Group Compare: Detection Frequency Concentration

13. 0 20 40 60 80 100 Detection Frequency (%) by Group Steroids (4) Nonprescrip. Drugs (5) Insect Repellant (1) Detergent Meta. (5) Disinfectants (3) Plastics (7) Fire Retardants (2) Antibiotics (22) Insecticides (7) PAHs (6) Hormones (11) Prescription Drugs (14) Antioxidants (5) Fragrances (2) Solvent (1)

14. Concentration by Group 0 1.0 2.0 3.0 Detergent Meta. (5) Steroids (4) Plastics (7) Disinfectants (3) Nonprescrip. Drugs (5) Antioxidants (5) Fire Retardants (2) Antibiotics (22) Insect Repellant (1) Insecticides (7) PAHs (6) Hormones (11) Prescription Drugs (14) Fragrances (2) Solvent (1) * (75 th Percentile) ppb

15. Detection Median Compound Freq. % Detect (ppb) coprostanol 85.7 0.088 cholesterol 84.3 0.83 N-N-diethyltoluamide 74.1 0.06 caffeine 70.6 0.1 tri(2-chloroethyl)phos 57.6 0.1 triclosan 57.6 0.14 4-nonylphenol 50.6 0.8 Most Commonly Detected Compounds

16. Antibiotics Carbodox Doxycycline Enrofloxacin Sarafloxacin Sulfachloropyridazine Sulfamerazine Sulfathiazole Virginiamycin Other Drugs Albuterol Digoxin Digoxigenin Paroxetine Metabolite Warfarin Compounds Not Detected

17. National Reconnaissance: Continuing Activities. - Streams: 139 sites / 30 states - Ground Water: 56 sites / 17 states - Drinking-Water Sources: 76 sites / 27 states (USEPA)

18. Related USGS Research  Antibiotic resistance (CDC).  Chemical indicators of human fecal contamination (USEPA).  Drinking water and wastewater treatment efficacy.  Watershed cycling and seasonality.  Sediment methods and occurrence.  Occurrence at fish hatcheries.

19. For More Info, Try the Internet The Toxics Program: toxics.usgs.gov The USGS: www.usgs.gov

20. Quality Assurance Field: –Standardized and published field protocols*. –Blanks. –Duplicates. Laboratory: –Fortified Spikes (every sample set, 10-16). –Surrogate Spikes (methods performance). –Matrix Spikes. –Blanks. –Duplicates. –*Interlab. comparisons (15 compounds).