Environmental Risk Assessment of Analgesics and Antibiotics in Effluents from Three Selected Hospitals in Kumasi Metropolis of Ghana

Abstract

Abstract Hospital effluents are the main source of pharmaceuticals like analgesics and antibiotics in the environment. This study seeks to determine the occurrence of commonly administered analgesics and antibiotics in hospital effluents and assess their environmental risks. Three replicates effluent samples from 3 hospitals (Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology Hospital - KNUST, Kumasi South Hospital - KSH, and Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital - KATH) within Kumasi were sampled and analyzed for occurrence of analgesics (caffeine, diclofenac, ibuprofen, and paracetamol); and antibiotics (amoxicillin, ciprofloxacin, and metronidazole). Samples were prepared for HPLC analysis by filtration and solid phase extraction. Apart from diclofenac and paracetamol detected at concentrations of 0.077–0.555 mg/L and 0.040–0.0440 mg/L respectively, all other pharmaceuticals were below detection levels in KNUST effluent samples. Caffeine (0.060–0.085 mg/L); diclofenac (0.055–0.380 mg/L); paracetamol (0.266–0.510 mg/L); ciprofloxacin (0.044–0.045 mg/L) and metronidazole (0.018–0.042 mg/L) were detected in KSH effluent samples; whilst ibuprofen and amoxicillin were below detection levels. In KATH effluent samples, ciprofloxacin and paracetamol were found at concentrations of 0.029–0.1142 mg/L and 0.074–0.232 mg/L respectively, and the rest were below detection levels. With the exception of the risk quotient (RQ) for ciprofloxacin showing high toxicity for exposure to algae and low toxicity exposure to daphnids and fish, the RQs for all other pharmaceuticals showed low toxicity exposure to algae, daphnids and fish. Pharmaceuticals in hospital effluents pose risk to aquatic life and human health with its associated socio-economic consequences. Thus, hospital effluents must be treated before discharge to avoid or reduce such negative effects.