From Umass.edu:
"Scientists from UMass Amherst are finding solutions to the latest threat to drinking water—contamination from over-the-counter and prescription drugs.
David Reckhow, a professor in environmental engineering, and Kathleen Arcaro, a faculty member in veterinary and animal science, are testing public water sources for the presence of drugs and determining how to eliminate them.
Making the UMass Amherst project feasible is the donation of a $450,000 liquid chromatography/mass spectrometer and other equipment from Waters Corp., a Milford, Massachusetts-based company led by Douglas Berthiaume ’71. With revenue of $1.47 billion in 2007 and 5,000 employees, Waters Corp. creates practical and sustainable innovation that enables advancements in healthcare delivery, environmental management, food safety, and water quality worldwide.
Concerns about water safety were piqued in spring 2008 with news of the discovery of low levels of antibiotics, anti-convulsants, mood stabilizers, and sex hormones in the water supplies of 24 major metropolitan areas.
The Waters Corp. AquaAnalysis system is highly automated and sensitive, allowing the scientists to quickly detect minute traces of contaminants in drinking water. “This equipment was the missing piece for us. Now we can complete this project and provide much needed information about these new concerns,” says Reckhow. In addition to water analysis, the researchers will recommend ways to treat the water to eliminate the drugs.
With funding from the American Water Works Association Research Foundation and the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection and with help from graduate students, the UMass Amherst scientists began field-testing water supplies across the country this past summer. The project is expected to take approximately 18 months. Sources included reservoirs, underground water, and rivers in both urban and rural areas. The 12 test sites represent typical water supplies in the country, giving national significance to the research findings. “This collaboration will bring a lot of visibility to UMass Amherst,” says Reckhow, “but more importantly, we will be on the forefront of keeping drinking water safe.”"
