Pharmaceuticals and personal care products in the urban groundwater – preliminary monitoring (case study: Kraków, Southern Poland)

ABSTRACT

The present study reports for the first time the occurrence of selected pharmaceuticals and personal care products (PPCPs) in the shallow aquifer underlying the Kraków city. Urban groundwater samples were gathered from 11 wells, which can serve as the emergency water supply wells. Liquid chromatography with tandem mass spectrometry method with the previous pre-concentration of samples using an SPE technique was applied for the determination of the PPCPs selected. There were quantified concentrations of PPCPs from the groups of estrogens (17-α-ethinylestradiol (EE2), 2.6–18.7 ng/L), non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (ketoprofen, 59.5 ng/L in 1 sample), and antimicrobial preservatives used in cosmetic production (methylparaben up to 91.5 ng/L). Triclosan was observed in all analysed water samples in concentrations above the limit of detection. The presence of the PPCPs in the shallow aquifer is an evidence that the sewer network system under the city leaks and then pollutes the urban groundwater.

KEYWORDS:

• Urban water
• urban groundwater
• leaky sewer
• contaminants of emerging concern
• PPCP
• toxic pollutants

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).