The Impact of Pharmaceuticals on the Ecology and Human Health

Abstract

Aim of the research was to study the impact of pharmaceuticals on the ecology and human health. Currently, increasing attention is being paid to the presence and fate of active pharmaceutical ingredients, solvents, intermediates and raw materials that may be present in water and wastewater, including pharmaceutical wastewater. Traditional wastewater treatment methods, such as activated sludge, are insufficient to completely remove active pharmaceutical ingredients and other wastewater components from these waters. Pharmaceutical wastewater has direct and indirect impacts on the environment and health, especially near pharmaceutical industrial sites. Although pharmaceutical factories produce untreated or partially treated wastewater, drinking water sources are contaminated. Various classes of pharmaceutical compounds such as analgesics, antidepressants, antihypertensives, contraceptives, antibiotics, steroids, hormones, etc. To protect the environment and lifestyles from health risks, the concentration of pharmaceutical compounds in medical wastewater entering drinking water sources should be regularly monitored. This article highlights the toxicity, health risks, and environmental risk assessments associated with pharmaceutical contaminants. To reduce contamination levels when consuming medicines should be: Creation of a system for collecting drug waste generated by the population; Conducting awareness-raising work with the population, employees of healthcare institutions and other target groups on the topic of environmental pollution by drug waste; Taking into account environmental factors when choosing and prescribing treatment. At the same time, there is no need to put environmental protection above the human need for treatment; Development and implementation of wastewater treatment systems. It should be taken into account that urban wastewater has an unstable composition in terms of names and concentrations of drugs. A higher priority is to prevent drug residues from entering the city sewer system.