Do cytostatic drugs reach drinking water? The case of mycophenolic acid

• Published in: Environmental pollution (1987) Vol. 208; no. Pt B; pp. 532 - 536
• Main Authors: Franquet-Griell, Helena, Ventura, Francesc, Boleda, M.Rosa, Lacorte, Silvia
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: England Elsevier Ltd 01-01-2016
• Subjects: Cytostatic Agents - analysis; Drinking water; Drinking Water - chemistry; Environmental Monitoring; Liquid chromatography; Mycophenolic acid; Mycophenolic Acid - analysis; River water; Rivers - chemistry; Spain; Tandem mass spectrometry; Water Pollutants, Chemical - analysis; Water Pollution - statistics & numerical data; Water Purification; Spain; Drinking water; Tandem mass spectrometry; Liquid chromatography; Mycophenolic acid; River water
• ISSN: 0269-7491; 1873-6424
• DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2015.10.026

Mycophenolic acid (MPA) has been identified as a new river contaminant according to its wide use and high predicted concentration. The aim of this study was to monitor the impact of MPA in a drinking water treatment plant (DWTP) that collects water downstream Llobregat River (NE Spain) in a highly densified urban area. During a one week survey MPA was recurrently detected in the DWTP intake (17–56.2 ng L−1). The presence of this compound in river water was associated to its widespread consumption (>2 tons in 2012 in Catalonia), high excretion rates and low degradability. The fate of MPA in waters at each treatment step of the DWTP was analyzed and complete removal was observed after pretreatment with chlorine dioxide. So far, MPA has not been described as water contaminant and its presence associated with its consumption in anticancer treatments is of relevance to highlight the importance of monitoring this compound.
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•MPA, a cytostatic drug, has been identified as a new river water contaminant.•MPA is eliminated during dioxychlorination in a drinking water treatment plant.•No residues of MPA were detected in finished drinking water.•Isotope dilution LC-MS/MS permitted the trace quantification of MPA in water.
Mycophenolic acid, a cytostatic drug, has been identified as a new river water contaminant and it is removed during purification in a Drinking Water Treatment Plant.