Pharmaceuticals and personal care products in China's aquatic environments: A decadal update (2013-2022)

Pharmaceuticals and personal care products (PPCPs) have garnered increasing attention over the past decade owing to their potential environmental hazards. Herein, we review studies on PPCPs in the Chinese aquatic environment published from 2013 to 2022. A total of 384 PPCPs were reported in surface water and sediment across China, with concentrations typically at ng/L and ng/g levels, respectively, comparable to those observed globally. The spatial distribution of PPCPs varied significantly, with higher pollution levels in densely populated regions. A gradual decline in PPCP concentrations in surface water was observed over time. PPCP concentrations at different spatial scales were influenced by various factors, including the density of healthcare institutions, the wastewater treatment rate, population density, sunshine hours, and precipitation, as identified by a random forest model. Ecological risk assessments identified nine PPCPs as high-risk pollutants: norfloxacin, roxithromycin, erythromycin, oxytetracycline, tetracycline, ibuprofen, caffeine, carbamazepine, and diethyltoluamide. Joint probability curves indicated that oxytetracycline, ibuprofen, carbamazepine, erythromycin, caffeine, and tetracycline posed low to high risk to aquatic ecosystems, with maximum risk levels ranging from 1.14 % to 10.8 %. This review provides a comprehensive overview of the occurrence, influencing factors, and ecological risks associated with PPCPs in China over the past decade, offering a scientific basis for developing strategies to control PPCP pollution and mitigate associated risks.