The sea full of diclofenac — how researchers are trying to cut pharmaceutical pollution in the Baltic Sea
Paracetamol, ibuprofen, carbamazepine, diclofenac, and other pharmaceuticals are being found in the Baltic Sea. Researchers say changing how some medicines are prescribed, used and disposed of could help reduce the flow.
The Baltic Sea, a semi-enclosed body of water surrounded by nine countries in northeastern Europe, is one of the most polluted seas globally. Its pollution legacy traces back to decades of dumping chemical munitions and other war materials after World War II. Today, the sea faces additional threats from microplastics, industrial chemicals, and agricultural runoff, which are particularly concerning due to the sea's vulnerability.
Researchers from Sweden, Finland, Lithuania, and Latvia are focusing on pharmaceutical pollution in the Baltic Sea. They argue that pollution cannot be addressed solely at the shoreline; rather, it requires looking at the entire life cycle of pharmaceuticals. For instance, the prescription of medicines, patient decisions on usage, and the return of unused medications to pharmacies can significantly reduce pharmaceutical pollution.
A widely-used anti-inflammatory painkiller, diclofenac, has been detected in aquatic environments of the Baltic Sea. Researcher Kristina Garuolienė from Vilnius University suggests that doctors should consider the environmental impact while choosing medicines and patients should also play a role in preventing unused drugs from entering the environment.
Pharmaceuticals enter the Baltic Sea through various routes, including wastewater from households and hospitals, discharges from pharmaceutical production sites, and runoff from agriculture and other land-based sources. Companion animals contribute to the problem when their feces are not properly collected and disposed of.
Wastewater treatment plants release around 1,800 tonnes of pharmaceuticals into the Baltic Sea annually. These plants still need to be equipped with a fourth treatment stage specifically designed to remove pharmaceutical pollutants. Once pharmaceuticals reach the sea, they can persist for extended periods, leading to slow breakdown and accumulation, as seen in the case of carbamazepine, which takes nearly three and a half years to break down by half.
The primary concern is not the direct harm to humans but the impact on non-target organisms in the sea. Pharmaceuticals can lead to feminisation in fish, frogs, and other species, and affect the Baltic blue mussel, which plays a crucial role in maintaining the ecosystem's health. Changes in mussel populations could put additional pressure on the already compromised ecosystem due to pharmaceutical pollution and other pollutants, as well as eutrophication.
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