Pharmaceutical drugs have polluted the world’s rivers and pose “a global threat to environmental and human health,” according to a new study by the University of York. The most extensive global study to date found that among the most polluted rivers were those in Bolivia, Pakistan and Ethiopia, while rivers in the Amazon rainforest, Iceland and Norway were those with the least amounts of drug pollution.
Humanity’s drugs have polluted rivers across the entire world and pose “a global threat to environmental and human health,” according to the most comprehensive study to date.
Pharmaceuticals and other biologically active compounds used by humans are known to harm wildlife and antibiotics in the environment drive up the risk of resistance to the drugs, one of the greatest threats to humanity.
The scientists measured the concentration of 61 active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs) at more than 1,000 sites along 258 rivers and in 104 countries, covering all continents. Only two places were unpolluted Iceland and a Venezuelan village where the indigenous
Humanity's drugs have polluted rivers across the entire world and pose "a global threat to environmental and human health", according to the most comprehensive study to date. Pharmaceuticals and other biologically active compounds used by humans.