Fate, transport, and effects of pharmaceuticals and personal care products in urban environment

In the race of technological advancement for better health and better lifestyle, research has founded a strong base to bring out new antibiotics, vaccines, generic medications, and personal care products (PCPs) for the people. On the other hand, the risk and effects concerning residues of pharmaceuticals and personal care products (PPCPs) in the urban environment are a vital challenge to combat. The biotic components of the environment are most vulnerable to the impacts induced by PPCPs. Though the PPCPs are detected in the range of nanograms per liter to micrograms per liter in water, air, and soil, they are potential endocrine disruptors and carcinogens, environmentally persistent, and hostile. Correlations between urban lifestyles, healthcare infrastructures, and PPCPs clearly pose threatening images on the fate, transport, and effects of PPCPs. Hence, this chapter individually focuses on the origin of PPCPs in the environment, the fate and transport of PPCPs in urban environment, and eco-toxicological impacts on aquatic and human genera by providing strong evidence and finally presents the prospective on PPCPs and plausible future trends in urban environments.