3.02.P–ThFr13 - Extraction and chromatographic determination of diazepam, alprazolam and clonezapam in wastewater samples

Abstract

Pharmaceutical pollutants entering the aquatic environment have become a growing environmental concern. These pharmaceuticals are unique pollutants because of their special characteristics and behaviour that cannot be simulated with other organic pollutants. The untreated wastewater effluent that contains pharmaceuticals poses considerable threat to the aquatic ecosystem because of the negative effects of non-target organisms in the water. Recent years have seen a growing concern about the benzodiazepines, as emerging pollutants, and their effects on the aquatic environment. These compounds are nowadays widely detected in sewage wastewater. It is important to increase the emphasis on the characteristics of the benzodiazepines in order to differentiate them from industrial chemical compounds. In this study various solid phase extraction techniques have been employed focusing on isolation of benzodiazepines in wastewater matrices. Employing this methodology has shown improved detection and analysis of diazepam and clonezapam as benzodiazepines.
Preliminary results have shown the diazepam concentrations to range between 1 to 9 ppm in seasonal wastewater samples analysed, with higher concentrations during the winter season. In the case of clonezapam and alprazolam, concentrations ranged between 0.4 to 2 ppm. Seasonal characteristics of the benzodiazepines are discussed along the trends observed for the water quality characteristics of the final treated wastewater.
 

Author(s)

Presenter: Vernon, Somerset

Authors: 

Silumko Nzube Cape Peninsula University of Technology South Africa      Vernon Somerset Cape Peninsula University of Technology South Africa