Detection, Occurrence and Fate of Pharmaceuticals and Steroid Hormones in Agricultural Environments

Thirty-six papers were published in 2009 describing new methods for analysis of veterinary pharmaceuticals, natural and synthetic steroid hormones, and their occurrence in agricultural settings. New methods continue to be developed and applied toward understanding the sources and environmental significance of these chemicals. Advances in sample preparation methods and instrumentation provide detection limits into parts per trillion ranges. Analysis of water samples indicates that many of these compounds do occur in the environment.