Pharmaceutical Pollution And Its Effect on the Environment

Wappinger Creek in New York's Hudson Valley was one of the streams investigated in the study.
Credit: Rebecca Allan

Pharmaceutical pollution may be affecting aquatic life and water quality in bodies of water such as streams and rivers. It is still unknown how this affects the environment and the organisms that is sustained by it.

Another source , albeit lesser known, of pollution is pharmaceutical pollution or contamination. Also known as PPCP or Pharmaceuticals and Personal Care Products as Pollutants, products involved refer to those use for personal health, cosmetic reasons, or used by agribusiness to enhance growth or health of livestock.

Pharmaceutical contamination covers pollution caused by these products such as prescription and over-the-counter medicine, therapeutic drugs, veterinary drugs, fragrances, lotions, and even cosmetics.

The main medium of pharmaceutical pollution is water. The United State's Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has cited that studies have shown traces of pharmaceuticals in the nation's water bodies. Although there is no evidence of ill effects on human health, findings suggests that there may be some ecological and environmental harm when certain drugs are present.