Mapping of contaminants of emerging interest in Quebec City water sources

Pharmaceuticals are important to lead the healthy life in the current world. However, continuous and huge use of these pharmaceuticals led to constant release in the environment and in particular in water sources. And also, low absorption and metabolism of pharmaceuticals in humans and animals led to their continuous entry into the environment via feces and urine. These pharmaceuticals are classified as the main class of contaminants of emerging interest (CEI). Pharmaceuticals are excreted in urine and feces in different proportions depending on the properties of the drugs either unchanged or inactive forms. Hence, most of the residual pharmaceuticals end up in wastewater (sewers and septic installations). Inefficient capacity or aging of wastewater treatment plants and septic installations might be a major source for the release of these CEI into the surface water and groundwater. Wastewater effluent release into surface water (rivers or lakes) also contribute the contamination.TO BE CONT’D

Faculty Supervisor:

Manuel Rodriguez

Student:

RAMA PULICHARLA

Partner:

Association pour la protection de l'environnement du Lac St-Charles et des Marais du Nord

Discipline:

Environmental sciences

Sector:

Natural resources

University:

Program: