Pharmaceuticals in the environment-potential human risk

Vesna Matovi1, Aleksandra Buha1, Predrag Vukomanovi2 1 Department of Toxicology Akademik Danilo Soldatovi, University of Belgrade-Faculty of Pharmacy, Belgrade, Serbia, 2 Pharmacy Lekovita, Mladenovac, Serbia

The pharmaceuticals may enter the environment by various routes such as manufacturing, household waste, landfills, agriculture,

livestock and thus cause adverse effects on nature and wildlife, as well as humans. Among numerous pharmaceuticals that enter the environment, special attention has been given to the ones that are persistent in the environment, can accumulate in the organism and

cause toxic effects at low levels. Hence, up to date investigations were mainly targeted on estrogenic compounds and antibiotics.

Estrogenic compounds were connected to feminization of aquatic animals observed in different waterways worldwide and human reproductive problems. Caution should also be taken with antibiotics present in the environment, especially those such as penicillin that can cause serious allergies. Further, the predominant role of human activities in the generation of environmental reservoirs of antibiotic resistance cannot be disputed.

The awareness of the presence of pharmaceuticals in the environment and their possible adverse effects on humans suggests the need for better

control of pharmaceutical release into the environment.

Second Congres of Pharmacists of Montenegro with International participation, Becici, May 28-31, 2015