The most polluted river in Europe has been revealed with its contents posing a major risk to both health and the environment. Taking the crown is the Manzanares river which lies across the city of Madrid. The title has been given due to its high level of toxicity – it has, among others, traces of paracetamol, caffeine, metformin, fexofenadine, sulfamethoxazole, metronidazole and gabapentin.
Research conducted by the University of York provides alarming data about water quality in the world’s rivers. The study, which analysed 258 watercourses in total, discovered that more than a quarter of them contain pollution levels that are potentially toxic both to the organisms that live within the rivers, and to humans too. The Manzanares is a fundamental part of the Spanish city’s urban ecosystem, meaning the situation stands as a great risk to both the health and reputation of the city.
The aquatic investigation, led by Dr John Wilkinson from the university, collected water samples from 1,052 locations across 104 countries. The aim was to assess the presence of 61 different pharmaceuticals, including antibiotics, antidepressants, sleeping medications, and beta-blockers.
Shockingly, the results showed that 25.7% of the sampled rivers contained at least one substance in quantities exceeding those considered safe for aquatic organisms.
The presence of these pharmaceuticals in river water can detrimentally affect the biology of organisms which includes impacting their reproductive capabilities and survival. Antibiotic contamination can also contribute to the development of resistant bacteria, representing a significant risk to global public health.
However, the study highlights that pharmaceutical pollution is notjust exclusive to the Manzanares or Europe. Rivers in Africa, Asia, and Latin America present similar or even higher toxicity levels.
The most contaminated samples of the research came predominantly from Africa, with Ethiopia, Tunisia, Democratic Republic of Congo, Kenya and Nigeria homing the most polluted rivers. In Asia, Pakistan, India, Armenia, Palestine and China came out on top for having the most contaminated water with Madrid placing first for Europe.
The investigation reveals how further investments in advanced technology and implementing more effective treatment systems are needed to significantly reduce the amount of pharmaceuticals and other pollutants reaching rivers.
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