Occurrence and enantiomer profiles of β-blockers in wastewater and a receiving water body and adjacent soil in Tianjin, China

A total of 58 samples were collected from hospitals, municipal wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs), a receiving water body (Dagu Drainage Canal, DDC), and adjacent farmland in Tianjin City, China, in May and November 2013 and were analyzed for five common beta-blockers (atenolol, sotalol, metoprolol, propranolol, and nadolol) to elucidate their source, occurrence and fate in a typical city in China. The profiles of the enantiomers of the beta-blockers in some samples were examined. Sotalol, metoprolol and propranolol were frequently detected, atenolol was less frequently detected, and nadolol was mostly not detected. Generally, the concentrations in hospital waste waters occurred from