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ARS Home » Southeast Area » Fayetteville, Arkansas » Poultry Production and Product Safety Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #185398
Title: OCCURRENCE OF PHARMACEUTICALS AND OTHER ORGANIC WASTEWATER CONSTITUENTS IN SELECTED STREAMS IN NORTHERN ARKANSAS, 2004.

Author
item GALLOWAY, JOEL - USGS
item HAGGARD, BRIAN
item MEYERS, MICHAEL - USGS
item GREEN, W - USGS

Submitted to: United States Geological Survey Technical Report
Publication Type: Government Publication
Publication Acceptance Date: 12/1/2004
Publication Date: 8/30/2005
Citation: Galloway, J.M., Haggard, B.E., Meyers, M.T., Green, W.R. 2005. Occurrence of pharmaceuticals and other organic wastewater constituents in selected streams in Northern Arkansas, 2004. United States Geological Survey Technical Report. SIR 2005-5140. Available: http://pubs.water.usgs.gov/sir2005-5140.

Interpretive Summary: The U.S. Geological Survey, in cooperation with the University of Arkansas and the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service, collected data in 2004 to determine the occurrence of pharmaceuticals and other organic wastewater constituents, including many chemicals that are an emerging concern. Samples were collected at17 sites upstream or downstream from municipal effluent discharges on 7 streams in northwestern Arkansas and at 1 site in a relatively undeveloped basin in north-central Arkansas. At least 1 of the 108 pharmaceutical or other organic wastewater constituents was detected at all sites in 2004, except at Spavinaw Creek near Mayesville, Arkansas. The number of detection was generally greater at sites downstream from effluent discharges compared to sites not influenced by wastewater effluents. Overall, 42 of the 108 constituents targeted in the collected water-quality samples were detected. The most frequently detected constituents included caffeine, phenol, para-cresol, and acetyl hexamethyl tetrahydro naphthalene.

Technical Abstract: Data was collected in 2004 to determine the occurrence of pharmaceuticals and other organic wastewater constituents, including many chemicals that are an emerging concern. Samples were collected at17 sites upstream or downstream from municipal effluent discharges on 7 streams in northwestern Arkansas and at 1 site in a relatively undeveloped basin in north-central Arkansas. At least 1 of the 108 pharmaceutical or other organic wastewater constituents was detected at all sites in 2004, except at Spavinaw Creek near Mayesville, Arkansas. The number of detection was generally greater at sites downstream from effluent discharges (mean=14) compared to sites not influenced by wastewater effluents (mean=3). Overall, 42 of the 108 constituents targeted in the collected water-quality samples were detected. The most frequently detected constituents included caffeine, phenol, para-cresol, and acetyl hexamethyl tetrahydro naphthalene.