Alarming Percentage , of Earth's Water Supply , Contaminated With Pharmaceuticals.
Alarming Percentage , of Earth's Water Supply , Contaminated With Pharmaceuticals.
According to new research, nearly half of the world's rivers have been poisoned with over-the-counter and prescription drugs.
Our findings show a very high proportion of rivers around the world are at threat from pharmaceutical pollution, Alejandra Bouzas-Monroy, corresponding author and Ph.D.
Student at the University of York, via 'Newsweek'.
Our findings show a very high proportion of rivers around the world are at threat from pharmaceutical pollution, Alejandra Bouzas-Monroy, corresponding author and Ph.D.
Student at the University of York, via 'Newsweek'.
'Newsweek' reports that the detected pharmaceuticals include antibiotics, antidepressants, painkillers, oral contraceptives, hay fever pills and tranquilizers.
'Newsweek' reports that the detected pharmaceuticals include antibiotics, antidepressants, painkillers, oral contraceptives, hay fever pills and tranquilizers.
In the United Kingdom, epilepsy drug carbamazepine is most commonly found, showing up in nearly 70% of British rivers.
In the United Kingdom, epilepsy drug carbamazepine is most commonly found, showing up in nearly 70% of British rivers.
Out of the 54 sampling sites across the U.K., drugs were detected in all but four.
The study found that over 43% of those sites had "concerning" amounts of active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs).
We demonstrate that approximately 43.5% of river locations globally have concentrations where ecotoxicological effects might be expected, with some locations expected to suffer effects on multiple trophic levels and endpoints, Alejandra Bouzas-Monroy, corresponding author and Ph.D.
Student at the University of York, via 'Newsweek'.
The lack of global API monitoring data means for many regions of the world we have no idea of the level of potential impacts, Alejandra Bouzas-Monroy, corresponding author and Ph.D.
Student at the University of York, via 'Newsweek'.
'Newsweek' reports that the amount of drugs found in Earth's water supply is expected to increase by two-thirds before 2050.
The study was published on June 22 in 'Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry.'
