PCPS Flashcards
What are some important biological relevant information regarding PPCPs?
degrade rapidly in environment through sunlight and microbes
low bioaccumulation and biomagnification and generally not acutely toxic but may be chronically toxic
What are the sources of PPCPs in sewage?
Domestic cleaning products, drugs and personal care products
What are the agricultural sources of PPCPs?
Antibiotics, hormones, growth promoters and antipariasitics in animals released back into soil when sludge is used as fertilizer or in waste water
What are the aquaculture sources of PPCPs?
antibiotics and antiparasitics
Where is the highest number of pharmaceuticals detected in waste water?
North America
What are some examples of Personal Care Products that end up in the envrionment?
synthetic musks, suntan lotions and sunblocks, skin cream, insect repellent and antibacterial agents
Why are synthetic musks so harmful to the environment and what are some examples of structures?
lipophilic and accumulate in fish
nitro-musks and polycyclic musks
What is BAF?
bioaccumulation factor-ratio of compounds in fish tissue vs concentration in the water
What are some of the effects of having pharmaceuticals in waste water?
endocrine disruption leading to fertility issues in fish from behavioural and toxicity, growth reduction, behavioural changes
What is the Asian Vulture Crisis?
catastrophic decline in 3 vulture species up to 90%, dying of visceral gout poisoning from diclofenac toxicity, leading to ecosystem disruptions
What are some sources of environmental estrogens?
pharmaceuticals, natural, raw sewage and detergents
What are some major effects of estrogen on fish?
vitellogenin present (forms egg yolk), intersex fish and feminization of males
What were the results of the Estrogen Addition Lake experiment?
decreased algal and zooplankton, decreased number of eggs, increased intersex fish, feminization and failed hatching in amphibians
What are the major concerns to human health for PPCPs?
PPCPs in food and drinking water and development of antibiotic resistant organisms in the environment
What two tests need to be done on new drugs before entering the market in Canada?
PEC: predicted exposure concentration
PNEC: predicted no effects concentration
What is a trigger value?
if soils reach a level of 1ng/kg or water reachers 10ng/L of drugs it mandates ecological risk assessment
