Stimulatory Drugs of Abuse in Surface Waters and Their Removal in a Conventional Drinking Water Treatment Plant
Environmental Science & Technology August 6, 2008 Maria Huerta‐fontela, Maria Teresa Galceran, Francesc Ventura 218 citations
Psychoactive stimulatory drugs, including cocaine, amphetamine, methamphetamine, MDMA, and the cocaine metabolite benzoylecgonine, were detected in raw surface waters supplying a Spanish drinking water treatment plant, with mean concentrations ranging from 4 to 350 ng/L. Nicotine, caffeine, and their metabolites were present at microgram-per-liter levels. During treatment, amphetamine-type stimulants (except MDMA) were completely removed by prechlorination, flocculation, and sand filtration. Ozone treatment partially eliminated caffeine (76%), and granulated activated carbon filtration removed cocaine (100%), MDMA (88%), benzoylecgonine (72%), and cotinine (63%). Postchlorination eliminated cocaine and nicotine completely, though caffeine, cotinine, and benzoylecgonine persisted, with reductions of 90% for caffeine and benzoylecgonine and 74% for cotinine.