AN OVERVIEW OF PHARMACEUTICAL POLLUTANTS IN THE ENVIRONMENT

IONUŢ-ALEXANDRU CHELARU(1*), ALEXANDRA SĂVUCĂ(1), ALIN STELIAN CIOBÎCĂ(2), MIRCEA NICUŞOR NICOARĂ(1)

1. Doctoral School of Geosciences, Faculty of Geographyand Geology, “Alexandru Ioan Cuza” University of Iaşi, Carol I Avenue, 20A, Iaşi, România; Doctoral School of Biology, Faculty of Biology, “Alexandru Ioan Cuza” University of Iaşi, Carol I Avenue, 20A, Iaşi, România; e-mails: chelaru.alexandru@yahoo.com; alexandra.savuca@yahoo.com; mirmag@uaic.ro.
2. Department of Biology, Faculty of Biology, “Alexandru Ioan Cuza” University of Iaşi, Carol I Avenue, 20A, Iaşi, România; Academy of Romanian Scientists, Splaiul Independentei nr. 54, sector 5, 050094 Bucureşti, România; Center of Biomedical Research, Romanian Academy, Iaşi, Bd. Carol I, no 8, România; e-mail: alin.ciobica@uaic.ro.
* Corresponding author’s

Abstract

Pharmaceutical pollution is a new area that has attracted interest because of its environmental detrimental effects. A major issue currently is the usage that leads to abuse, which leads to the further release of chemicals into the environment. A very wide range of pharmaceutical substances, from anti-epileptics, anti-inflammatories, antibiotics, antidepressants or anti-diabetics, are present in the environment. These substances have been frequently detected in recent years from waste water, surface water, groundwater and even in drinking water. This has raised public health concerns and therefore further research studies are needed to fill the information gaps in this field.

Keywords

pharmaceuticals pollution environment
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