Spatially and Seasonally Resolved Predictions Reveal Widespread Ecotoxicological Risk from Pharmaceutical Mixtures in German (Saxon) Rivers.

ABSTRACT: Pharmaceutical pollution is escalating due to the increasing prevalence of diseases driven by an aging population and socioeconomic and hydroclimatic changes, challenging the EU's goal of achieving a toxic-free environment. To comprehensively assess pharmaceutical pollution in rivers, we developed a spatially resolved model to predict pharmaceutical concentrations and associated ecological risks across 1 km river stretches in Saxony, Germany. We focused on five pharmaceuticals: two antiepileptics (carbamazepine, gabapentin), two antibiotics (ciprofloxacin, sulfamethoxazole), and one antidiabetic (metformin); and their toxicity to three aquatic species: algae, daphnia, and fish. Model evaluation demonstrated a good level of accuracy, with 95-100% of simulations aligning within 1 order of ma

SUBMITTER: Wu S 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12392725 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Aug

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature