New Study Reveals River Fauna Contains Cocaine, Pharmaceuticals and Pesticides

For the first time, researchers at King & # 39; s College London, in collaboration with the University of Suffolk, have discovered a wide range of chemicals, including illegal drugs and pesticides, in river fauna British. The study published today in International environment, examined the exhibition of wildlife, such as freshwater shrimp Gammarus pulex, with different micropollutants (chemicals found at exceptionally low levels) and levels of these compounds in animals.

Consumer products, drugs and medications can end up in rivers after use and contain thousands of different chemicals that can harm the environment. The team collected samples from five watersheds and 15 different sites in Suffolk County. Surprisingly, cocaine was found in all the tested samples, and other illicit drugs such as ketamine, pesticides and pharmaceuticals were also prevalent in the shrimp collected.

Lead author, Thomas Miller, of King's College London, said: "Although concentrations are low, we have been able to identify compounds that are likely to harm the environment and, which is very important, to pose a risk to wildlife.

"As part of our ongoing work, we found that the most commonly detected substances were illicit drugs, including cocaine and ketamine, and a banned pesticide, fenuron, although for many of them, the potential for effect is probably low. "

Professor Nic Bury of the University of Suffolk said: "The question of whether the presence of cocaine in aquatic animals is a problem for Suffolk, or more widely in the UK and abroad, is waiting for research In the UK, the impact of "invisible" chemical pollution (such as drugs) on wildlife health needs to be better addressed, as policies can often be informed by such studies. "

Dr. Leon Barron of King & # 39; s College London added, "Such a frequency of illegal drug use in wild animals was surprising – we would expect to see them in urban areas such as London, but not in smaller and more rural basins The presence of pesticides that have long been banned in the United Kingdom is also a particular problem, as their sources remain unclear. "

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