answer text |
<p>Researchers at the University of York have published in a peer reviewed journal
that earthworms collected at sewage treatment plants contained mean concentrations
of 26.20±4.70 ng/g of the anti-depressant fluoxetine (trade name Prozac) (Bean et
al. 2017). In a recent paper concerning the effects of low, environmental relevant,
concentrations of Prozac on the courtship of starlings (Whitlock et al. 2018), they
also refer to work by other researchers showing earthworms at sewage treatment plants
to contain other contaminants including pharmaceuticals (Markman et al. 2007 &
2008). There are many other studies globally showing uptake of pharmaceuticals into
a variety of invertebrate species.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>The uptake of pharmaceutical
residues from sewage, sewage effluent and sewage sludge has been shown to negatively
impact invertebrates themselves and provides a clear route of exposure to many species
of wildlife including birds and bats. The full significance of this is still being
assessed.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>
</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p><strong>References</strong></p><p> </p><p> </p><p>
</p><p>Bean, T. G., Arnold, K. E., Lane, J., Bergstrom, E., Thomas-Oates, J. E., Rattner,
B., & Boxall, A. B. A. (2017). Predictive framework for estimating exposure of
birds to pharmaceuticals. <em>Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry</em>. DOI: <a
href="http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/etc.3771" target="_blank">10.1002/etc.3771</a></p><p>
</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>Markman S,Guschina I,Barnsley S,Buchanan K,Pascoe D,et al.
(2007) Endocrine disrupting chemicals accumulate in earthworms exposed to sewage effluent.
Chemosphere 70: 119–125.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>Markman S, Leitner S, Catchpole
C, Barnsley S, Müller CT, Pascoe D, et al. (2008) Pollutants Increase Song Complexity
and the Volume of the Brain Area HVC in a Songbird. PLoS ONE 3(2): e1674. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0001674</p><p>
</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>Sophia E. Whitlock, M. Glória Pereira, Richard F. Shore, Julie
Lane, Kathryn E. Arnold. Environmentally relevant exposure to an antidepressant alters
courtship behaviours in a songbird. <em>Chemosphere</em>, 2018; 211: 17 DOI: <a href="http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.chemosphere.2018.07.074"
target="_blank">10.1016/j.chemosphere.2018.07.074</a></p><p> </p><p>(12/12)</p><p>
</p>
|
|