Global rivers face rising threat from antibiotic pollution

• 9,400 metric tonnes of antibiotics are discharged into rivers worldwide annually.
• Amoxicillin is the most frequently detected antibiotic in water bodies.
• Pollution may lead to the formation of antibiotic-resistant bacteria.

Researchers from McGill University in Canada conducted studies revealing that up to 9,400 metric tonnes of antibiotics enter global rivers each year. This constitutes about one-third of all antibiotics consumed by humans. Even though the concentration of these substances in water is low, their presence can encourage the evolution of drug-resistant bacteria.

Studies indicate that amoxicillin is the most frequently detected antibiotic in rivers, particularly in southern Asia. In this region, growing antibiotic usage and insufficient wastewater treatment facilities exacerbate water pollution issues.

Dr. Heloisa Ehalt Macedo, the study's author, highlights that long-term exposure to antibiotics in aquatic environments can pose a risk 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 crucial for medical treatment, their presence in rivers necessitates the development of reduction 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 stresses.

Scientists underscore the necessity for monitoring programmes to identify antibiotic pollution in water sources. Prof. Jim Nicell points out that pollution from human consumption is only a part of the problem, which could deteriorate further due to pollutants from animal farming and the pharmaceutical industry.