Sampling for Pharmecuticals
Lab Begins Detecting the 'Nondectibles'

In March, every major news outlet carried the story, with headlines such as "Pharmeceuticals Lurking in U.S. Drinking Water." In April came U.S. Senate hearings on the subject. But even as the Associated Press, which conducted a five-month inquiry into the drinking water supplies of 24 major metropolitan areas serving 41 million people, was doing its sampling, and the media began its coverage, the Agency was preparing to help define and solve the problem.

"We've installed sampling equipment to begin detecting these constituents in wastewater," states Patrice Parsons. "Normally, we look at parts per million but this is different. For these pharmecuticals – whether prescription pills or even over-the-counter ibuprophen, or illicit drugs – we're talking parts per billion or even parts per trillion."

From one of the initial AP news reports: "And while researchers do not yet understand the exact risks from decades of persistent exposure to random combinations of low levels of pharmaceuticals, recent studies — which have gone virtually unnoticed by the general public — have found alarming effects on human cells and wildlife."

There are no federal testing requirements or safety limits, yet. "We are in the invstigative stage," Patrice says, "discovering what's there and what problems may arise. Our data will be part of the process to develop regulations."

The new technology allows sampling at very low levels. For example, a special membrane (filter) is placed in water. Over a full month, it collects extremely small particles, which solidify on the membrane. "We recently completed our second sampling," Patrice notes. "Results are not in yet." Because the analysis equipment is highly expensive and specialized, only a few labs can be used, such as those at the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service or the U.S. Geological Survey.

Engineer Garrett Haertel and the Maintenance staff helped install the new equipment. In April, Silvia Burnett and Jackie Dlhos made a presentation at the annual California Water Environment Association conference in Sacramento ("Achieving Detection in a Nondetect World: Emerging Technology for Emerging Contaminants"). "We had about three dozen people at the presentation, and there were many good questions."

Additional Resources

California has guidelines on the disposal of pharmecuticals. For information, visit the California Integrated Waste Management Board web site at http://www.ciwmb.ca.gov/WPIE/HealthCare/PPCP.htm#WhereHGP. The U.S. Office of National Drug Control Policy produces a PDF on the "Proper Disposal of Prescription Drugs": http://www.whitehousedrugpolicy.gov/publications/pdf/prescrip_disposal.pdf.

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