PHARMACEUTICALLY ACTIVE COMPOUNDS (PhACs) IN WATER OF ASIAN COUNTRIES: A META ANALYSIS REVIEW ON THE OCCURRENCE, DISTRIBUTION AND ENVIRONMENTAL RISK

Abstract

Pharmaceutically active compounds (PhACs) have received a lot of attention due to their enormous consumption proportions, significant bioactivity, and prospective ecotoxicity that tend to impact the health of marine ecosystems and humans. In this study, five commonly used pharmaceuticals were studied in water bodies of Asian countries. The main objective of this study was to review the occurrence and distribution of selected PhACs such as diclofenac, fluoxetine, caffeine, propranolol, and triclosan in the water bodies of Asian countries. This review was found that the range of concentration of pharmaceuticals was 0.055 to 11.4 x103 ng/L. Five distribution maps were plotted using the Geographical Information System (GIS) software. China has been identified as the country that discovered most of the selected PhACs occurrence and distribution compared to other nations. Data obtained from the present review was analyzed for risk assessment analysis using the Risk Quotient (RQ) technique, which is typically applied to assess PhACs with potential ecological concerns in water ecosystems. The findings of the study showed that 31 RQ was found to be non-significant. Fluoxetine compound was classified as having the highest RQ value calculated for phytoplankton, with an RQ value of 136.08. Hence, PhACs surveillance in the water ecosystems must be strengthened, and research on PhACs occurrence and potential risks should be highlighted in global environmental research.