Distribution and migration of pharmaceuticals in wastewater treatment systems
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.17512/INSTAL.2026.09.07Keywords:
pharmaceutics, wastewater, Wastewater Directive, migration of micropollutants, physicochemical propertiesAbstract
The global increase in drug consumption is generating a significant load of pharmaceutical substances discharged into sewage systems. Conventional municipal wastewater treatment plants based on activated sludge technology, designed primarily to remove macronutrients, are insufficiently effective in removing pharmaceutical micropollutants. These compounds are identified in treated wastewater, posing a threat to aquatic organisms. Amendments to the Urban Wastewa ter Treatment Directive (EU) 2024/3019 require wastewater treatment plants to implement advanced quaternary treatment systems that ensure at least an 80% reduction in micropollutants. Transposing these requirements into national law, rooted in the Polish Water Law, requires analysis of the fate of pharmaceutical substances throughout the treatment cycle. This study analyzes the individual physicochemical properties of selected pharmaceuticals (including those listed in Directive 2024/3019), accompanied by an assessment of their migration pathways and phase distribution between the liquid and solid phases within the qualitatively diverse matrix of municipal wastewater. This evaluation provides a basis for designing monitoring frameworks and selecting appropriate quaternary treatment technologies.
Downloads
References
[1] Włodarczyk-Makuła, M. Mikrozanieczyszczenia w środowisku człowieka. Wydawnictwo Politechniki Częstochowskiej, Częstochowa 2024.
[2] Białk-Bielińska, A., Caban, M. Leki w środowisku – zagrożenia i wyzwania. Uniwersytet Gdański, Gdańsk 2024.
[3] Autzen Virtanen, A., Lakio, S., Madi, A., Sivén, M., Scoping review to identify data needs and environmental hotspots for future LCA Studies: Insights into pharmaceutical excipients and processes, Europe an Journal of Pharmaceutical Sciences 219 (2026) 107453, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ejps.2026.107453
[4] IOŚ-PIB. Leki w naszych wodach – najnowsze fakty. www.ios.edu.pl, data wejścia na stronę: 08.03.2026.
[5] Rosińska, A. Emerging pollutants wyzwaniem dla gospodarki wodno-ściekowej. Wydawnictwo Politechniki Częstochowskiej, Częstochowa 2022.
[6] Dyrektywa (UE) 2024/3019 w sprawie oczyszczania ścieków komunalnych. Dziennik Urzędowy Unii Europejskiej, Parlament Europejski i Rada Unii Europejskiej, 2024.
[7] Włodarczyk-Makuła M., Tchórzewska-Cieślak B., Rak J., Risk assessment method for pharmaceutics removal in treated wastewater – challenges of new Directive (EU) on urban wastewater treatment, Science of the Total Environment, 996, 2025, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2025.180141
[8] National Center for Biotechnology Information (NCBI). PubChem Database. www.pubchem.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov, data wejścia na stronę: 08.03.2026.
[9] Kempińska, D., Chmiel, T., Kot-Wasik, A., Mróz, A., Mazerska, Z., Namieśnik, J. State of the art and prospects of methods for determination of lipophilicity of chemical compounds. Trends in Analytical Chemistry 2019, 113, 54–73, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.trac.2019.01.011
[10] Cheng, T., Zhao, Y., Li, X., Lin, F., Xu, Y., Zhang, X., Li, Y., Wang, R., Lai, L. Computation of octanolwater partition coefficients by guiding an additive model with knowledge. Journal of Chemical Information and Modeling 2007, 47(6), 2140–8, https://doi.org/10.1021/ci700257y
[11] Zhu F., Wu X., Zhao L., Liu X., Qi J., Wang X., Wang J., Lipid profiling in sewage sludge, Water Research, 116, 2017, 149-158, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.watres.2017.03.032
[12] Liu S., Luo T., Liu G.-H., Xu X., Shao Y., Qi L., Wang H., Characterization and reutilization potential of lipids in sludges from wastewater treatment processes, Scientific Reports, 10, 2020, 12997, https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-020-69855-6
[13] DrugBank Online. www.go.drugbank.com, data wejścia na stronę: 08.03.2026.
[14] United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Online www.epa.gov, data wejścia na stronę: 05.08.2026.
[15] European Parliament. Plenary sessions: Newsletter 25–26 March 2026 (Ref. 20260323BRI38810). European Parliament Press Service, Brussels 2026.
[16] CEHTRA. Urban Wastewater Treatment Directive (UWWTD 2): Anticipating a new framework for obligations and pollutant treatment in Europe. CEHTRA, 2026.
[17] Domínguez, E., Ferre, M., Moya-Llamas, M.J., Ortuño, N., Prats, D. Removal of Indicator Micropollutants Included in Directive (EU) 2024/3019 Using Nanofiltration and Reverse Osmosis. Water 2025, 17(9), 1269, https://doi.org/10.3390/w17091269
[18] Čelić, M., Zafra-Navarro, F., Gros, M., Petrovic, M., Farré, M.J. A multifactorial prioritization strategy for micropollutants in wastewater: Enhancing Indicator selection for effective monitoring and risk management. Environmental Chemistry and Ecotoxicology 2026, 8, 1356–1365, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.enceco.2026.02.005
[19] Mommert, U. The EU Urban Wastewater Directive and its implications. Life Science Nord Magazin, 2026. Online: www.lifesciencenord.de/magazin/en/the-eu-urban-wastewater-directive-and-its implications, data wejścia na stronę: 05.08.2026.
Downloads
Published
License
Copyright (c) 2026 Maria Włodarczyk-Makuła, Katarzyna Kusz (Autor)
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
Authors retain copyright and grant the journal the right of first publication, with the work simultaneously licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License, which permits others to share the work with appropriate acknowledgment of the authorship and initial publication in this journal.
