Home
Resources
Publications
Fate and Behaviour of Acetaminophen, 17α-ethynylestradiol and Carbamazepine in Aqueous Solution

Fate and Behaviour of Acetaminophen, 17α-ethynylestradiol and Carbamazepine in Aqueous Solution

Albano Joel Moreira Santos, Cláudia Sofia Gomes Cardoso, Albertina Alice Ribeiro Mota, Patrícia Raquel Heleno Belmonte, Manuel António Campo Grande Oliveira, Joaquim Carlos Gomes Esteves da Silva

Water Sci Technol. 2020 Jan;81(2):395-409.

PMID: 32333671

Abstract:

Pharmaceuticals are invaluable tools for the prevention and treatment of human and animal diseases. Human evolution led to the increase of life expectancy, which promoted the increase of consumption of pharmaceuticals. These compounds are consistently detected in superficial waters, and whilst degradation processes are expected to mitigate their levels, they also induce the formation of potentially harmful by-products. The compounds studied in this work were acetaminophen, 17α-ethynylestradiol and carbamazepine. High-performance liquid chromatography coupled with ultraviolet diode-array detection was used to follow the degradation reactions, whilst liquid chromatography associated with ultraviolet diode-array detection and mass spectrometry was applied in the determination of by-products. Ethynylestradiol proved to be the most reactive (t1/2 = 38.6 ± 1.9 seconds) and carbamazepine the least reactive (t1/2 = 481.4 ± 16.7 minutes) when exposed to active chlorine. In relation to disinfection by-products, two monochlorinated analogues were detected for acetaminophen, one monochlorinated for carbamazepine, and one mono- and one trichlorinated for ethynylestradiol. Chlorine levels and water pH proved to be the most influential variables on the degradation of the compounds, with and without dissolved organic matter in solution. All pharmaceuticals displayed significant photostability towards artificial solar radiation, with acetaminophen being slightly more stable.

Chemicals Related in the Paper:

Catalog Number	Product Name	Structure	CAS Number	Price
AP57636-A	17α-Ethynylestradiol solution		57-63-6	Price

As a specialist in analytical chemical Products, Alfa Chemistry offers consumers a wealth of raw materials and a full range of technologies and services.

QUICK LINKS

HEADQUARTERS

Tel:

Fax:

Email: