Water Pollution (Prescription Drugs)

Pharmaceuticals, prescriptions, and over-the-counter medications have been found in surface water, ground water, and drinking water across the globe. Contaminated water samples have been documented for several decades. Interest has intensified in the past 10 years, with increased studies on water contamination, sources, environmental impact, and solutions. Practitioners’ prescribing habits and available over-the-counter medications are reflected in the contamination seen in local bodies of water. The most common source of contamination is human waste after medication consumption; additional sources of contamination have been identified as medication disposal and agricultural medication use. Studies documenting changes seen in animals and bacteria have triggered environmental concerns over pharmaceutical contamination. Health care concerns have stemmed from the unknown effect of lifelong low-dose medication exposure in humans. Solutions for decreasing ...