Pharmaceuticals in Long Island’s Groundwater

Pharmaceuticals can infiltrate groundwater systems in areas susceptible to wastewater contamination. In studies by Stony Brook University and the U.S. Geological Survey of ground-water wells in Suffolk County, Long Island, NY, near permitted wastewater treatment facilities discharging to ground water, scientists detected pharmaceuticals in concentrations generally 1-200 ng/L (parts per trillion).These vanishingly small concentrations are several orders of magnitude below the concentrations where any effects have been observed or predicted for the compounds measured in this study. Acetaminophen, caffeine, carbamazepine (anti-epileptic), cotinine (human metabolite of nicotine), paraxanthine (human metabolite of caffeine), and sulfamethoxazole (antibiotic) were found most often in both studies. However compounds were more frequently detected in the shallower wells. These occurrences, and laboratory studies, suggest that of these compounds, caffeine, carbamazepine, paraxanthine, and sulfamethoxazole are more persistent in groundwater and have the most potential for transport in the subsurface. For more information, contact Mark J. Benotti at mbenotti@usgs.gov or 631-736-0783 x126.