Pharmaceutical Contaminants Overview Pharmaceutical contaminants in surface water represent a growing environmental concern, with compounds ranging from non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) to antibiotics, hormones, and antidepressants entering aquatic systems through various pathways. These emerging contaminants typically exist at trace concentrations (ng/L to μg/L), making their detection and quantification challenging without effective preconcentration techniques. According to […]

Environmental Sources of Steroid Hormones Steroid hormones enter environmental water systems through multiple pathways, primarily from human and animal waste. Estrogens (estrone, estradiol, estriol), androgens (testosterone), progestogens (progesterone), and synthetic hormones (ethinylestradiol) are excreted in urine and feces, passing through wastewater treatment plants that often incompletely remove these compounds. Agricultural runoff containing livestock manure and