Emerging Pharmaceutical Pollutants in Colombian Watersheds and Environmental Management Measures
Abstract
This study presents the geographic distribution of emerging pharmaceutical contaminants in Colombian rivers and the most appropriate technology for their removal. The aim of this research was to study the presence of emerging pharmaceutical contaminants in the watersheds of Colombia, and to identify efficient environmental management options prior to their discharge into water bodies. For this purpose, a systematic review was carried out by searching for scientific articles published between 2017 and 2021 in the Gale, Science Direct, Springer Protocols, Taylor and Francis Online, and Google Academic databases. The search terms used were “emerging pollutants”, “emerging contaminants”, and “pharmaceutical emerging contaminants”, followed by Colombia. Research articles in English and Spanish that reported pharmaceutical-type compounds and/or affected watersheds and/or human health effects and/or treatment were included. This was supplemented with information from the country’s Regional Autonomous Corporations, the Ministry of Environment and Sustainable Development, and governmental environmental institutions. Subsequently, water sources in Colombia containing emerging contaminants were identified. Finally, a phase was conducted to identify treatment proposals for the management of emerging pharmaceutical contaminants in Colombia. A dynamic database was created with this information and managed using ArcGIS and R software. In Colombia, 117 emerging pharmaceutical contaminants have been reported in the watersheds. The most common drug was carbamazepine, followed by clarithromycin, erythromycin, and diclofenac. The watersheds with the highest concentrations of emerging pharmaceutical contaminants were Antioquia, Caquetá, Cundinamarca, Nariño, and Valle del Cauca. Reverse has been identified as the most effective treatment for the removal of emerging pharmaceuticals.
Keywords: emerging contaminants, chemical water pollution, watersheds, water treatment, environmental management
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