Cell-Based Assay Detects Residual Beta-Blocker Substances in Effluent of Municipal Wastewater Treatment Plants

Residues of human pharmaceuticals, such as β-blockers and their metabolites, are increasingly found in effluent wastewater of treatment plants (WWTP) all over Europe. This application note highlights how the in vitro cAMP-dependant assay can be used to measure the total β-blocker activity in wastewater effluents as equivalents of the lead substance metoprolol (MetEQ).