Sludge Watch ==> Sunlight turns drug(s) into more harmful compounds

[maureen.reilly at sympatico.ca]

Sludgewatch Admin:

Most of the sludge and all of the treated wastewater are subjected to 
sunlight. This study, while focusing on only one drug, is probably 
representative of a lot more.

.........................................


Sunlight turns ...drug(s) into harmful compounds

When researchers first looked for pharmaceuticals in the environment in 
Europe and elsewhere, some of the highest concentrations they found were for 
residues of the antiepileptic drug carbamazepine, which showed up in a 
variety of places, including drinking-water treatment plants and sewage 
effluent. The drug, which is sold as Tegretol and under other commercial 
names, treats seizures as well as bipolar disorder. New research published 
today on ES&T’s Research ASAP website (DOI: 10.1021/es060502y) shows that 
when carbamazepine is exposed to sunlight in an estuary-like setting, it 
breaks down into a more toxic compound, acridine.

http://pubs.acs.org/subscribe/journals/esthag-w/2006/aug/science/nl_sunlight.html