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Authors
Ribeiro, Ana R.
Castro, Paula M. L.
Tiritan, Maria E.
Advisor(s)
Abstract(s)
Many pharmaceutical pollutants are chiral,
existing in the environment as a single enantiomer or as mixtures of the two enantiomers. In spite of their similar
physical and chemical properties, the different spatial configurations lead the enantiomers to have different interactions
with enzymes, receptors or other chiral molecules, which can give diverse biological response. Consequently, biodegradation process and ecotoxicity tend to be enantioselective. Despite numerous ongoing research regarding analysis and monitorization of pharmaceutical ingredients in the environment, the fate and effects of single enantiomers of chiral pharmaceuticals (CP) in the environment are still largely unknown. There are only few chiral analytical
methods to accurately measure the enantiomeric fraction (EF) in environmental matrices and during biodegradation processes. Furthermore, the ecotoxicity studies usually consider the enantiomeric pair as unique compound. We reviewed the current knowledge about CP in the environment, as well as the chiral analytical methods to determine the EF in environmental matrices. The degradation and
removal processes of CP of important therapeutic classes, usually detected in the environment, and their toxicity to aquatic organisms were also reviewed. On the other hand, this review demonstrate that despite the great importance of the stereochemistry in pharmaceutical science, pharmacology
and organic chemistry, this is normally neglected in environmental studies. Therefore, CP in the environment need much
more attention from the scientific community, and more research within this subject is required.
Description
Keywords
Biodegradation Chiral pharmaceuticals Chiral stationary phases Ecotoxicity Enantiomeric fraction Enantioselectivity
Citation
RIBEIRO, Ana R. ; CASTRO, Paula M. L. ; TIRITAN, Maria E. - Chiral pharmaceuticals in the environment. Environmental Chemistry Letters. ISSN 1610-3661. 10(3), 239-253
Publisher
Springer