The occurrence of pharmaceuticals in surface water has been barely studied in Latin America. This work aimed to i) develop a multi-residue liquid chromatography- triple quadrupole mass spectrometry (LC–MS/MS) method for the determination of pharmaceutical active compounds (PhACs); ii) monitor 70 PhACs in three urban-influenced rivers in San José, Costa Rica; and iii) perform the risk assessment of detected compounds and ecotoxicological evaluation on water samples. Caffeine, 1,7-dimethylxanthine, naproxen, gemfibrozil and ibuprofen were the most frequent among 23 detected compounds. Concentrations ranged from 0.013 μg/L to 53.8 μg/L (62 % detections between 0.1 μg/L–1 μg/L), and the highest values corresponded to caffeine, 1,7-dimethylxanthine, ofloxacin, gemfibrozil and cephalexin. The environmental risk estimated using the hazard quotient (HQ) approach, revealed four and eleven compounds with medium and high risk, respectively. The highest risk (HQ >10) was determined for diphenhydramine, risperidone, fluoxetine, trimethoprim, ofloxacin and azithromycin; nonetheless, high risk (HQ >1) was also estimated for caffeine, diclofenac, clarithromycin, gemfibrozil and ibuprofen. Total HQ sample values (ΣHQ), calculated as the sum of individual HQs for each detected compound, revealed the highest hazard in surface water near wastewater treatment plant discharges, followed by the locations of higher urban influence (in the Virilla river). Ecotoxicological evaluation showed no acute toxicity towards Daphnia magna and Vibrio fischeri in surface water samples; on the contrary, toxicity towards Lactuca sativa (germination tests) showed a similar pattern to that determined with the ΣHQ, although the highest toxicity was observed downstream with respect to the urban influence of the metropolitan area. These findings help to visualize the importance of pharmaceutical residues in the overall toxicity of surface water samples, and remark the relevance of monitoring these compounds, as an input for the implementation of future mitigation actions.

拉丁美洲几乎没有研究地表水中药物的存在。本工作旨在 i) 开发一种用于测定药物活性化合物 (PhAC) 的多残留液相色谱-三重四极杆质谱 (LC-MS/MS) 方法；ii) 在哥斯达黎加圣何塞的三个受城市影响的河流中监测 70 个 PhAC；iii) 对检测到的化合物进行风险评估，并对水样进行生态毒理学评估。咖啡因、1,7-二甲基黄嘌呤、萘普生、吉非罗齐和布洛芬是 23 种检测到的化合物中最常见的。浓度范围为 0.013 µg/L 至 53.8 µg/L（0.1 µg/L–1 µg/L 之间的检测率为 62%），最高值对应于咖啡因、1,7-二甲基黄嘌呤、氧氟沙星、吉非贝齐和头孢氨苄。使用危害商数 (HQ) 方法估计的环境风险分别显示四种和十一种具有中等和高风险的化合物。苯海拉明、利培酮、氟西汀、甲氧苄啶、氧氟沙星和阿奇霉素的风险最高（HQ >10）；尽管如此，估计咖啡因、双氯芬酸、克拉霉素、吉非罗齐和布洛芬也具有高风险（HQ >1）。总总部样本值 (ΣHQ) 计算为每个检测到的化合物的单个总部的总和，显示污水处理厂排放附近地表水中的危害最高，其次是城市影响较大的位置（在维里拉河中）。生态毒理学评估表明对 10）苯海拉明、利培酮、氟西汀、甲氧苄啶、氧氟沙星和阿奇霉素的测定；尽管如此，估计咖啡因、双氯芬酸、克拉霉素、吉非罗齐和布洛芬也具有高风险（HQ >1）。总总部样本值 (ΣHQ) 计算为每个检测到的化合物的单个总部的总和，显示污水处理厂排放附近地表水中的危害最高，其次是城市影响较大的位置（在维里拉河中）。生态毒理学评估表明对 10）苯海拉明、利培酮、氟西汀、甲氧苄啶、氧氟沙星和阿奇霉素的测定；尽管如此，估计咖啡因、双氯芬酸、克拉霉素、吉非罗齐和布洛芬也具有高风险（HQ >1）。总总部样本值 (ΣHQ) 计算为每个检测到的化合物的单个总部的总和，显示污水处理厂排放附近地表水中的危害最高，其次是城市影响较大的位置（在维里拉河中）。生态毒理学评估表明对 显示污水处理厂排放附近地表水的危害最高，其次是城市影响较大的地点（在维里拉河）。生态毒理学评估表明对 显示污水处理厂排放附近地表水的危害最高，其次是城市影响较大的地点（在维里拉河）。生态毒理学评估表明对地表水样品中的大型水蚤和费氏弧菌；相反，对莴苣的毒性（发芽试验）显示出与 ΣHQ 确定的相似模式，尽管在大都市区的城市影响方面，下游观察到的毒性最高。这些发现有助于形象化药物残留在地表水样品的整体毒性中的重要性，并指出监测这些化合物的相关性，作为实施未来缓解行动的输入。