• Journal of Environmental Health Sciences
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• v.35 no.1
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• pp.45-52
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• 2009

In recent years, pharmaceuticals in the aquatic environment have become a matter of increasing public concern. Environmental risk assessment (ERA), including an exposure assessment, is considered the best scientifically based approach for evaluating the potential effects of pharmaceuticals on ecosystems. Computerized exposure models constitute an important tool in predicting environmental exposures of pharmaceuticals. This paper presents the applicability of an exposure model by comparing measured data of selected pharmaceuticals with predicted environmental concentrations from an exposure model. $PhATE^{TM}$ (Pharmaceutical Assessment and Transport Evaluation) model developed by the Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America (PhRMA) was adapted to run simulations for the Keum River. A set of 7 pharmaceuticals of high production in Korea was modeled. The PECs generated by the $PhATE^{TM}$ model that were then compared to the measured concentrations. The $PhATE^{TM}$ model predicted concentrations for 7 pharmaceuticals including acetaminophen, acetylsalicylic acid, erythromycin, ibuprofen, lincomycin, mefenamic acid, and naproxen were in good agreement with actual measured concentrations, which demonstrated the utility of $PhATE^{TM}$ as a predictive tool. In conclusion, $PhATE^{TM}$, although it does not intend to accurately represent reality, could be utilized for rapid predictions of the environmental concentrations of pharmaceuticals.