| Abstract: | The presence of caffeine or human pharmaceuticals in ground water with elevated nitrate concentrations can provide a clear, unambiguous indication that domestic waste water is a source of some of the nitrate. Water from domestic, public supply, and monitoring wells in three communities near Reno, Nevada, was sampled to test if caffeine or pharmaceuticals are common, persistent, and mobile enough in the environment that they can be detected in nitrate-contaminated ground water and, thus, can be useful indicators of recharge from domestic waste water. Results of this study indicate that these compounds can be used as indicators of recharge from domestic waste water, although their usefulness is limited because caffeine is apparently nonconservative and the presence of prescription pharmaceuticals is unpredictable. The absence of caffeine or pharmaceuticals in ground water with elevated nitrate concentrations does not demonstrate that the aquifer is free of waste water contamination. Caffeine was detected in ground water samples at concentrations up to 0.23 ??g/L. The human pharmaceuticals chlorpropamide, phensuximide, and carbamazepine also were detected in some samples. |
| Genre: | Article |
| ProdID: | 70021656 |
| Citation Author: | Seiler, R. L.; Zaugg, S. D.; Thomas, J. M.; Howcroft, D. L. |
| Citation Contributing Office: | |
| Citation Datum: | |
| Citation Day: | |
| Citation Edition: | |
| Citation Editor: | |
| Citation End Page: | 410 |
| Citation Issue: | 3 |
| Citation Keywords: | |
| Citation Language: | English |
| Citation Larger Work Title: | Ground Water |
| Citation LatN: | |
| Citation LatS: | |
| Citation LonE: | |
| Citation LonW: | |
| Citation Month: | |
| Citation No Pagination: | |
| Citation Number Of Pages: | 6 |
| Citation Online Only Flag: | |
| Citation Phsyical Description: | |
| Citation Projection: | |
| Citation Public Comments: | |
| Citation Publisher: | Natl Ground Water Assoc |
| Citation Series: | |
| Citation Series Code: | |
| Citation Series Number: | |
| Citation Search Results Text: | Caffeine and pharmaceuticals as indicators of waste water contamination in wells; 1999; Article; Journal; Ground Water; Seiler, R. L.; Zaugg, S. D.; Thomas, J. M.; Howcroft, D. L. |
| Citation Start Page: | 405 |
| Citation Volume: | 37 |
| Citation Year: | 1999 |
| Type: | citation/reference |
| Text: | Caffeine and pharmaceuticals as indicators of waste water contamination in wells; 1999; Article; Journal; Ground Water; Seiler, R. L.; Zaugg, S. D.; Thomas, J. M.; Howcroft, D. L. |
| URL (THUMBNAIL): | http://pubs.er.usgs.gov/thumbnails/outside_thumb.jpg |
| Date Other: | Fri, 1 Jan 1999 00:00 -0600 |
| Publisher: | Natl Ground Water Assoc |
