Antibiotic pollution in rivers: A global threat to health and ecosystems

• 9,400 tonnes of antibiotics enter rivers worldwide annually.
• Amoxicillin is the most commonly detected antibiotic in waters.
• Pollution can lead to the development of antibiotic-resistant bacteria.

Researchers from McGill University in Canada conducted studies that revealed as much as 9,400 tonnes of antibiotics enter rivers worldwide annually. This is about one-third of all antibiotics consumed by humans. Although the concentration of these substances in waters is low, their presence can lead to the development of drug-resistant bacteria.

Studies have shown that amoxicillin is the most commonly detected antibiotic in rivers, especially in southern Asia. In this region, increasing antibiotic use and lack of proper wastewater treatment plants contribute to increased water pollution.

Dr. Heloisa Ehalt Macedo, the author of the study, emphasizes that chronic exposure to antibiotics in aquatic environments can pose a threat to human health and ecosystems.

Even when antibiotic residues are detected at low concentrations, the long-term environmental exposure can still pose significant risks to human and aquatic health, says Dr. Macedo.

Prof. Bernhard Lehner notes that while antibiotics are essential for treatment, their presence in rivers requires the development of mitigation strategies.

While antibiotics are indispensable in modern medicine, their unchecked entry into ecosystems risks triggering long-term consequences, including diminished treatment effectiveness and rising healthcare costs, the expert emphasizes.

Scientists stress the need for monitoring programs to detect antibiotic pollution in waters. Prof. Jim Nicell adds that pollution resulting from human consumption is only part of the problem, and the situation may worsen due to pollution from animal husbandry and the pharmaceutical industry.