What types of pharmaceuticals are found in water treatment plants?

Pharmaceuticals detected in water treatment plants can exist in various forms, including both solids and liquids. These substances can enter wastewater through different pathways, such as excretion, improper disposal, and even runoff from agricultural practices. In wastewater treatment, liquid pharmaceuticals may come from dissolved substances in urine and other bodily fluids, while solid pharmaceuticals could be intact pills or tablets that have been improperly disposed of or are present in solid waste that reaches treatment facilities.

The design of water treatment plants typically allows for the processing of both phases of pharmaceuticals, given the complex nature of municipal waste. Therefore, the presence of both solid and liquid forms is a crucial aspect of understanding how pharmaceuticals can contaminate water sources and the subsequent challenges faced in effectively treating and removing these contaminants from water to ensure public health safety. This comprehensive perspective on the forms of pharmaceuticals leads to the conclusion that both solid and liquid types are indeed found in water treatment plants.