TY - JOUR
T1 - COVID-19 drugs in aquatic systems: a review
AU - Gwenzi, Willis
AU - Selvasembian, Rangabhashiyam
AU - Offiong, Nnanake-Abasi O.
AU - Mahmoud, Alaa El Din
AU - Sanganyado, Edmond
AU - Mal, Joyabrata
PY - 2022/4/1
Y1 - 2022/4/1
N2 - The outbreak of the human coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has induced an unprecedented increase in the use of several old and repurposed therapeutic drugs such as veterinary medicines, e.g. ivermectin, nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, protein and peptide therapeutics, disease-modifying anti-rheumatic drugs and antimalarial drugs, antiretrovirals, analgesics, and supporting agents, e.g. azithromycin and corticosteroids. Excretion of drugs and their metabolites in stools and urine release these drugs into wastewater, and ultimately into surface waters and groundwater systems. Here, we review the sources, behaviour, environmental fate, risks, and remediation of those drugs. We discuss drug transformation in aquatic environments and in wastewater treatment systems. Degradation mechanisms and metabolite toxicity are poorly known. Potential risks include endocrine disruption, acute and chronic toxicity, disruption of ecosystem functions and trophic interactions in aquatic organisms, and the emergence of antimicrobial resistance.
AB - The outbreak of the human coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has induced an unprecedented increase in the use of several old and repurposed therapeutic drugs such as veterinary medicines, e.g. ivermectin, nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, protein and peptide therapeutics, disease-modifying anti-rheumatic drugs and antimalarial drugs, antiretrovirals, analgesics, and supporting agents, e.g. azithromycin and corticosteroids. Excretion of drugs and their metabolites in stools and urine release these drugs into wastewater, and ultimately into surface waters and groundwater systems. Here, we review the sources, behaviour, environmental fate, risks, and remediation of those drugs. We discuss drug transformation in aquatic environments and in wastewater treatment systems. Degradation mechanisms and metabolite toxicity are poorly known. Potential risks include endocrine disruption, acute and chronic toxicity, disruption of ecosystem functions and trophic interactions in aquatic organisms, and the emergence of antimicrobial resistance.
KW - Aquatic ecotoxicology
KW - Behaviour
KW - Fate processes
KW - Health risks
KW - Risk assessment
U2 - 10.1007/s10311-021-01356-y
DO - 10.1007/s10311-021-01356-y
M3 - Article
VL - 20
SP - 1275
EP - 1294
JO - Environmental Chemistry Letters
JF - Environmental Chemistry Letters
SN - 1610-3653
IS - 2
ER -
