Occurrence of pharmaceuticals in the Danube and drinking water wells: Efficiency of riverbank filtration

A study reveals that riverbank filtration is highly effective at removing most pharmaceuticals from the Danube, with efficiencies exceeding 95% for the majority of compounds. However, four specific pharmaceuticals—carbamazepine, lidocaine, tramadol, and lamotrigine—showed low filtration efficiency (<50%), posing a challenge to ensuring safe drinking water supply. The research analyzed 111 pharmaceutical active compounds (PhACs) across five sampling periods, comparing concentrations in the Danube with those in nearby drinking water abstraction wells. While most PhACs were effectively filtered, their sporadic appearance in wells suggests variability influenced by environmental conditions and well operation dynamics. This finding underscores the need for adaptive strategies to manage emerging contaminants in urbanized river systems.

Kondor, A. C., Jakab, G., Vancsik, A., Filep, T., Szeberényi, J., Szabó, L., Maász, G., Ferincz, Á., Dobosy, P., & Szalai, Z. (2020). Occurrence of pharmaceuticals in the Danube and drinking water wells: Efficiency of riverbank filtration. Environmental Pollution, 265, 114893. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envpol.2020.114893