Human and veterinary pharmaceuticals are being increasingly used for disease treatment; hence, their distribution and factors influencing them in the aquatic environment need to be investigated. This study observed the effect of human and animal populations, usage, purchasing criteria (prescription vs. non-prescription), and land use to identify the spatio-temporal distribution of eight pharmaceuticals at twenty-four sites of the tributaries of the Han River watershed. In rural areas, the mean concentration (detection frequency) of non-prescription pharmaceuticals (NPPs) was higher (lower) compared to that of prescription pharmaceuticals (PPs); in urban areas, a reverse trend was observed. Pharmaceutical concentrations in urban and rural areas were mainly affected by wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) and non-point sources, respectively; concentrations were higher downstream (4.9 times) than upstream of the WWTPs. The concentration distribution (according to the target) was as follows: human-veterinary > human > veterinary. Correlation between total concentration and total usage of the pharmaceuticals was high, except for NPPs. Most livestock and land use (except cropland) were significantly positively correlated with pharmaceutical concentrations. Concentrations were mainly higher (1.5 times) during cold seasons than during warm seasons. The results of this study can assist policymakers in managing pharmaceutical pollutants while prioritizing emerging pollutants.
Keywords: downstream; emerging contaminants; livestock; non-prescription; population; wastewater treatment plants.