1C-O1-1525 PDF
Environmental Forensics Approach for estimating population equivalent in river basin by analyzing pharmaceuticals in wastewater and river water
Several modeling approaches based on human population have been used to assess and assist in the wastewater and water quality management of river basins. However, even in developed countries, it is difficult to estimate human population in the basin in real time. A quantitative molecular marker approach can estimate the de facto population cumulatively along a river, avoiding the need to wait for a census. In this study, the marker approach was applied to Tone River basin in Japan and the River Thames basin in the UK, the largest catchment in each country. The main aim of this study was to select appropriate markers that could be used to estimate the population in the river basins, without modeling. This approach showed useful for estimating the cumulative human population in the basins. The information was obtained relatively quickly and at lower cost than a census, and could be useful for maintaining public health and safety within the river basin.