The effects of Pharmaceuticals and Personal Care Products (PPCPs) on the environment, mainly through their presence in water, are largely unknown. These drugs, soaps, lotions, etc. are exposed to the environment through runoff water, flushing them down the toilet, human and animal excretions, and much more. Most water treatment plants are ill equipped to remove PPCPs out of the water, and they end up in rivers, streams, or lakes. This study focused on two common medications: phenazopyridine hydrochloride (HCl) and cetirizine hydrochloride (HCl). Phenazopyridine HCl is the active ingredient in AZO, the most common urinary tract pain reliever. Cetirizine HCl is the active ingredient in Zyrtec, a common antihistamine. These drugs were chosen based on two factors: their popularity and the amount of unchanged drug in the urine. As much as 66% of phenazopyridine HCl is passed through the urinary system completely unchanged and flushed right down the toilet, providing an opportunity for the pure compound to be present in the environment. As much as 50% of cetirizine HCl is passed through the body unchanged, and it is used by an innumerable amount of people during pollen season, meaning there could be a lot of the drug in the environment. This study attempted to determine the effects of these drugs on the environment by using <i>Selenastrum capricornutum </i>as an analog for the environment.

Study of the effects of two PPCPs on algal growth

249th National Meeting (2015)

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