Priority pollutants from pharmaceutical industry in India

Awareness of the problem of pharmaceuticals in the environment is increasing among scientific researchers, governments, pharmaceutical companies, and the public. Since the mid-1990s, scientists have regularly detected pharmaceuticals and their metabolites, referred to collectively as PhACs (Pharmaceutically Active Compounds) commonly termed as priority pollutants by USEPA, in surface water, groundwater, and in drinking water. Pharmaceuticals enter the environment via wastewater treatment plants of manufacturing industries, through improper disposal, to toilets and garbage, among other routes of entry. Some PhACs have been found to its detrimental effects on aquatic organisms at low concentrations. Impacts of long-term exposure to mixtures of PhACs generally remain poorly understood. Nevertheless, the proper management action to mitigate the environmental impacts of PhACs should be considered. The environmental impact of mixture of different PhACs, chronic effect of mixture of PhACs on aquatic life, source control option to reduce the quantity and variety of PhACs in water cycle may be considered for further study.