Environmental contamination with pharmaceuticals: Ecotoxicology and Public Health Implications

Abstract

Pharmaceuticals are extensively used both in human and veterinary medicine due to their therapeutic efficacy. Despite their bioactive components and increased medicinal value, pharmaceuticals also exert some sublethal effects on non-target organisms and eventually impact the whole ecosystem. Public health care contributes approximately 4-5% to environmental contamination. However, pharmaceuticals affect the environment from production and consumption to waste disposal. During the 20^th & 21^st centuries, various quantities of pharmaceuticals were discharged into water. But Africa ranked first in detecting pharmaceuticals in estuarine water. These wastes were mainly from hospitals and pharmaceutical industries in rivers, lakes, soil, and coastal waters. Various treatment techniques can be applied to get rid of this problem. These techniques may include physical, biological, and chemical processes. Wastewater treatment plants are significantly important in removing pollutants from wastewater. Despite all techniques and methodologies, the negative impact of pharmaceuticals has not been significantly eliminated. The aim is to develop a system that also considers the harmful impacts of pharmaceuticals along with their therapeutic effects. Regulatory authorities such as the European Union recognize pharmaceutical waste as a risk of contamination of water and soil.  The EMA and European Commission also take initiatives in assessing the risk of pharmaceuticals. However, persistent research is still required to advance removal techniques and for their complete elimination.