Pharmaceutical Residues in the Environment

Data

Official data in SubjectManager for the following academic year: 2026-2027

Topic

Due to our modern way of life, pharmaceutical residues appearing in the environment represent an increasing global challenge. This course provides insight into the sources, transport, and fate of these compounds, with a special focus on Hungarian water bodies like the Danube and Lake Balaton. Students will explore risk-based monitoring strategies and evaluate the safety of our drinking water resources. The practical sessions offer an interactive experience where students work in groups to model water purification using both commercial filtration systems and innovative carbon nanostructures. By focusing on the entire pharmaceutical life cycle, the course fosters a mindset dedicated to sustainable pharmaceutical use and the protection of our aquatic ecosystems.

Lectures

• 1. Course requirements. Pharmaceuticals as a global environmental challenge - Lemli Beáta
• 2. Sources and environmental fate of pharmaceutical residues - Lemli Beáta
• 3. Pharmaceuticals in surface waters I – Focus on Lake Balaton - Lemli Beáta
• 4. Pharmaceuticals in surface waters II – Rivers and the Danube - Lemli Beáta
• 5. Pharmaceuticals in surface waters III – The Urban environment of Budapest - Lemli Beáta
• 6. Drinking water, tap water, and bottled water safety - Lemli Beáta
• 7. Monitoring programs – EU regulatory framework and watch lists - Lemli Beáta
• 8. Monitoring programs – Risk-based data collection and assessment - Lemli Beáta
• 9. Water treatment – Wastewater processing and technological challenges - Lemli Beáta
• 10. Innovative solutions – Development of advanced water treatment technologies - Lemli Beáta
• 11. Human health implications, ecological impacts (ecotoxicology), sustainable pharmaceutical use and corporate social responsibility - Lemli Beáta
• 12. Summary and discussion of course findings - Lemli Beáta
• 13. Written exam - Lemli Beáta

Practices

• 1. General laboratory safety, team assignments, and documentation standards - Lemli Beáta
• 2. How do filters work? Preparation of adsorbents I. - Lemli Beáta
• 3. How do filters work? Preparation of adsorbents II. - Lemli Beáta
• 4. Testing of commercial water filters I. - Lemli Beáta
• 5. Testing of commercial water filters II. - Lemli Beáta
• 6. Targeted filtration: Removal of specific APIs I. - Lemli Beáta
• 7. Targeted filtration: Removal of specific APIs II. - Lemli Beáta
• 8. Recycling and reusability in water technology I. - Lemli Beáta
• 9. Recycling and reusability in water technology II. - Lemli Beáta
• 10. Data evaluation and performance analysis I. - Lemli Beáta
• 11. Data evaluation and performance analysis II. - Lemli Beáta
• 12. Project closing and synthesis I. - Lemli Beáta
• 13. Project closing and synthesis II. - Lemli Beáta

Seminars

Reading material

Obligatory literature

Patrick J. Sinko: Martin's Physical Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, e.g. 6th edition ISBN 978-0-7817-9766-5

Literature developed by the Department

The slides of the lectures are electronically available.

Notes

Recommended literature

Patrick J. Sinko: Martin's Physical Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, e.g. 6th edition ISBN 978-0-7817-9766-5

Conditions for acceptance of the semester

No additional conditions for the acceptance of the semester.

Mid-term exams

One written exam on the 13th lecture, the acceptance level is 60%. The topics of the written test are similar to the topics of the lectures.

An accepted report about the practacies (lab book).

Making up for missed classes

There is no possibility to make up for a missed lecture and/or practice.

Exam topics/questions

The topics of the written test are similar to the topics of the lectures.

Examiners

Instructor / tutor of practices and seminars

• Lemli Beáta