Detection and analysis of pharmaceutical products from the waste water system at the university teaching hospital of Yaoundé, Cameroon

Abstract

Human pharmaceutical residues are fast becoming an environmental concern. Their occurrence has been reported in many countries especially in Europe and America. They have been reported to have eco-, geno- and human toxic effects and thus their importance as micro pollutants cannot be ignored. However, African countries are still lagging behind in research concerning these micro pollutants. In view of this fact, the present study was to investigate the presence of pharmaceutical residues in waste waters of the University Hospital Centre of Yaoundé (UHCY). Based on the consumption of drugs in UHC during 2014, we selected the most representative ones that are known to be common in the waste water. Then we collected 1L sample of CHUY waste water in order to screen the pharmaceuticals. The screening was carried out using 2 methods: High Performance Liquid Chromatography coupled to a Triple Quadruple analyzer (LC/QQQ) and High Performance coupled to a Mass Spectrometer, with a Time of Flight analyzer (LC/Q-TOF). The two methods was used to identify and quantify 19 pharmaceuticals. The concentrations found varied from 0,088 for clarithromycineto 211,926µg/L for paracetamol. These results confirmed the presence of such residues in our environment and hence emphasized the need to establish modern waste water treatment devices at CHUY and for all the Reference hospitals in Cameroon. The study also elucidated the need to integrate pharmaceutical waste management into the strategic development plan of the Ministry of Public Health.