Human use pharmaceuticals in the estuarine environment : a survey of the Chesapeake Bay, Biscayne Bay and Gulf of the Farallones

"Currently the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) are investing significant resources to assess the contamination of freshwater systems with prescription and nonprescription pharmaceuticals ... To understand the implications in the coastal aquatic environment, NOAA's National Status and Trends (NS&T) Program, of the Center for Coastal Monitoring and Assessment, conducted a pilot study to assess the presence of a suite of human use pharmaceuticals at selected sties in the Chesapeake Bay, Biscayne Bay, and the Gulf of the Farallones. The NS&T Program has monitored organic and inorganic contaminants and their effects in the Nation's estuaries and coastal waters for over 20 years (NOAA, 1998). As part of this effort, NS&T also investigates the occurrence of what have become known as 'emerging contaminants of concern', previously unknown or unidentified classes of contaminants that may be impacting the environment. Pharmaceutical compounds fall within this category. The goal of this pilot project was to assess the presence of a number of commonly prescribed human use pharmaceuticals in three coastal areas of the U.S"--Introduction. Anthony S. Pait, Robert A. Warner, S. Ian Hartwell, Judd O. Nelson, Percy A. Pacheco, and Andrew L. Mason. "August 2006." Includes bibliographical references (pages 20-21). Pait, A.S., R.A. Warner, S.I. Hartwell, J.O. Nelson, P.A. Pacheco, and A.L. Mason. 2006. Human Use Pharmaceuticals in the Estuarine Environment: A Survey of the Chesapeake Bay, Biscayne Bay and Gulf of the Farallones. NOS NCCOS 7. Silver Spring, MD. NOAA/NOS/NCCOS/Center for Coastal Monitoring and Assessment. 21pp. 2006 NOS (National Ocean Service) NCCOS (National Centers for Coastal Ocean Science) Library Public Domain 1935