Investigation of Some Pharmaceutically Active Compounds (PHACS) in Soil and Sediment Around Selected Drug Manufacturing Companies in Lagos (Published)
The problem of pharmaceutically active compounds (PhACs) in environment has been at forefront of current researches by environmental scientists. Pharmaceuticals, when present in environmental media could induce resistance in micro-organisms which could eventually result in hazard to human. Due to the growing cause of drug resistance by many microorganisms the aim of this study was to investigate PhACs in soil and sediment around the catchments of selected pharmaceutical manufacturing company in Lagos Nigeria. Soil and sediment samples were collected from different locations (Ologe Lagoon Sediment (OLS), Agbara Residential Area soil (ARS), Isolo Canal Sediment (ICS), Isolo Borehole area soil (IBS)). The selected PhACs were extracted from soil and sediment using ultrasound assisted extraction (UAE) and subsequently concentrated and cleaned up using solid phase extraction (SPE). After air-drying and re-dissolution of extract in 1 ml of methanol, the extract was analysed using HPLC with UV detector for quantification of the PhACs (Amoxicillin, Pyrimethamine, Sulfadoxine). The results obtained showed that Ologe lagoon sediment had the highest average sulfadoxine concentration of 1.13 µg/g. The average concentrations of pyrimethamine were 0.107 µg/g, 0.0243 µg/g, 0.090 µg/g, and 0.023 µg/g OLS, ARS, ICS and IBS respectively with OLS having the highest average concentration which positively correlate to sulfadoxine concentration in same River. Amoxicillin was not detected in all the samples, thus its concentration were probably below detection limit of the UV detector applied. Total organic carbon (TOC %) correlation coefficients were N/A, -0.2366, -06964 for amoxicillin, pyrimethamine and sulfadoxine respectively which indicate that PhACs concentration were probably not affected by TOC in the soil. The antimalarial drugs, pyrimethamine and sulfadoxine, were detected in all sampling sites except Isolo canal sediment, presence of these PhACs even at these comparatively low concentrations could lead to increased resistance to these drugs by malaria causing parasite. Considering the prevalence of malaria and other microbial infections in Nigeria, this may result in higher death rates than at present. More researches are needed for the detection and quantification of amoxicillin and other pharmaceuticals in order to generate a baseline data for this possibility.
Keywords: Lagos, Sediment, Soil, drug manufacturing companies, pharmaceutically active compounds (PHACS)