Pharmaceuticals are natural or synthetic chemicals that may be typically found in over-the-counter therapeutic drugs, prescription medicines, and veterinary drugs. There are several ways pharmaceuticals occur in the water supply. First of all, their major source is pharmaceutical manufacturing facilities (Aristizabal-Ciro et al., 2017). Other sources of antibiotics and drugs, including cotinine, acetaminophen, diphenhydramine, caffeine, and carbamazepine, are used for animal-feeding operations in the livestock industry and fertilization (Bexfield et al., 2019). The third source is people and their activities as drugs are not fully metabolized – thus, people release them when they urinate or flush old pharmaceuticals down the toilet. In general, this disturbing issue should be addressed as pharmaceuticals pass through wastewater treatment plants, and contaminated water streams are harmful to wildlife and people.
The presence of pharmaceuticals in the water supply is primarily harmful to fish and aquatic wildlife as they may impact the hormone system of living creatures, causing reproductive failure. In addition, pharmaceuticals may impact the environment through the food chain – for instance, by eating contaminated aquatic animals, predators may accumulate higher drug levels that affect their health as well. Finally, the presence of pharmaceuticals in drinking water may impact people’s well-being as well (Bexfield et al., 2019). Regardless of the fact that their concentration in water is low, their endocrine disruptors may nevertheless impact biological processes, including growth, development, and reproduction.
It goes without saying that the minimization of chemical waste in the water supply should be considered by governmental and public authorities. However, people may contribute to its solution as well, especially if they cause the occurrence of pharmaceuticals in water as well. First of all, we may control the amount of drugs we have at home by buying only necessary and prescribed medications in order to avoid their storage until expiry. Moreover, we should not flush all drugs down the toilet – instead, we should consult with our therapists concerning the availability of drug take-back programs in our community or dispose of expired or unneeded drugs according to federal guidelines.
References
Aristizabal-Ciro, C., Botero-Coy, A. M., López, F. J., & Peñuela, G. A. (2017). Monitoring pharmaceuticals and personal care products in reservoir water used for drinking water supply. Environmental Science and Pollution Research, 24(8), 7335-7347.
Bexfield, L. M., Toccalino, P. L., Belitz, K., Foreman, W. T., & Furlong, E. T. (2019). Hormones and pharmaceuticals in groundwater used as a source of drinking water across the United States. Environmental Science & Technology, 53(6), 2950-2960. Web.