The evidence indicates widespread and persistent pharmaceutical pollution with significant implications for One Health, and standardized monitoring protocols, stricter industrial effluent regulations, and integration of environmental surveillance with AMR monitoring are urgently required.
Abstract
Pharmaceutical contaminants are increasingly recognized as emerging pollutants of concern due to their persistence in the environment and potential impacts on ecosystems and human health. This review aimed to synthesize evidence on the occurrence, pathways, health effects, interventions, and regulatory frameworks related to pharmaceutical pollution.
We conducted a systematic review in accordance with PRISMA 2020 guidelines. Eligible studies (2018–2025) included peer‐reviewed research and reviews assessing pharmaceutical contaminants in water, soil, food, as well as their health impacts, treatment technologies, and regulatory measures. Databases searched included PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, and Google Scholar.
A total of 20 studies from 6 countries were included. Antibiotics, Non‐Steroidal Anti‐inflammatory drugs (NSAID), hormones, and psychiatric drugs were the most frequently reported contaminants. Geographic hotspots were identified in Asia, particularly India and China, showing intense pharmaceutical manufacturing and inadequate wastewater treatment. Conventional treatment processes were consistently ineffective at removing persistent compounds such as diclofenac and carbamazepine. Health evidence, though limited, highlighted risks of chronic exposure, endocrine disruption, and contribution to Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR). Intervention studies included advanced oxidation processes, membrane filtration, and nanotechnology.
The evidence indicates widespread and persistent pharmaceutical pollution with significant implications for One Health. Limitations include geographic bias, lack of long‐term epidemiological data, and reliance on laboratory‐scale intervention studies. Standardized monitoring protocols, stricter industrial effluent regulations, and integration of environmental surveillance with AMR monitoring are urgently required. Future research should prioritize longitudinal studies, field validation of advanced treatment systems, and socio‐economic evaluations of interventions.
It is confirmed that pharmaceutical pollutants represent a multidimensional One Health challenge and primary recommendations include strengthening pharmaceutical waste management systems and medication take-back programs and implementing advanced wastewater treatment technologies.
Benjamin Oritsemuelebi, E. O. Chidebe, G. Udom et al.· Discover Environment· 0 citations
Objectives
This review aimed to synthesize recent advances in the understanding of emerging contaminants (ECs), including per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, pharmaceuticals, personal care products, microplastics and nanoplastics, endocrine-disrupting chemicals, and engineered nanomaterials. It critically assessed their sources, environmental pathways, transformation mechanisms, and ecological and human health impacts, while identifying knowledge gaps and future research priorities.
Methods
A systematic literature review was conducted according to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses framework. Peer-reviewed research articles and critical reviews were retrieved from Scopus, Web of Science, and PubMed. Emphasis was placed on studies that used advanced analytical techniques, including high-resolution mass spectrometry, nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy, Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy, and biosensor-based detection methods.
Results
The findings indicated that ECs are characterized by high environmental persistence, complex transformation pathways, bioaccumulation, and trophic transfer potential. Reported impacts included endocrine disruption, genotoxicity, antimicrobial resistance, and ecological imbalance. Across global environmental compartments, these pollutants pose long-term risks to ecosystems and human health. Their distinctive partitioning behavior and environmental persistence challenge standard ecological assessment frameworks and underscore the need for comprehensive toxicological evaluations and robust regulatory oversight to mitigate long-term biological accumulation and adverse physiological effects in aquatic and terrestrial wildlife.
Conclusion
This review highlights the urgent need for improved regulatory frameworks, standardized monitoring approaches, and sustainable remediation strategies for ECs. By integrating advanced analytical methods, computational tools, and circular economy principles, the review provides a timely contribution to environmental science and policy and supports informed decision-making for environmental protection and public health.
A. Salaudeen, Y. A. Olawore, H. Yakubu et al.· Osong Public Health and Rese...· 0 citations
The contamination of aquaculture products and effluents by Emerging Contaminants (ECs)—originating from both direct chemical applications and peripheral industrial activities—represents a critical global concern due to the environmental and public health risks associated with their persistence, bioaccumulation, and environmental dispersion. This systematic review aimed to synthesize the available scientific evidence on the occurrence, sources, environmental and human health impacts, and mitigation strategies of ECs in aquaculture production systems. A systematic literature search was conducted following the PRISMA 2020 guidelines across the Web of Science, Scopus, and Google Scholar databases. Studies were selected according to predefined eligibility criteria, resulting in a total of 137 studies included in this review. The findings indicate that these pollutants accumulate within the tissues of farmed organisms, posing direct ingestion risks to humans, while contaminated effluents facilitate the widespread degradation of receiving water bodies. Given their environmental persistence and ubiquitous distribution, there is an urgent need for advanced analytical methodologies, robust regulatory frameworks, and the implementation of sustainable treatment technologies—such as advanced oxidation processes and recirculating aquaculture systems—alongside strategies for reducing antibiotics and microplastics. These measures are essential to mitigate the prevalence of ECs and safeguard both ecosystem integrity and human health.
Tania del Carmen Villalbazo-García, B. Ortiz-Muñiz, María del Refugio Castañeda-Chávez et al.· Aquaculture Journal· 0 citations
Pharmaceutical pollutants have emerged as a critical environmental and public health concern due to their continuous release into ecosystems through manufacturing effluents, improper disposal of expired drugs, hospital waste, and incomplete removal during wastewater treatment. These drug residues persist in water, soil, and biota, causing ecological imbalance, development of antimicrobial resistance, endocrine disruption, and potential long-term toxicity in humans. The life-cycle of pharmaceuticals, from production and consumption to disposal, plays a significant role in determining their environmental footprint. This study reviews the sources, fate, and impacts of pharmaceutical contaminants, emphasizing both conventional and modern drugs, including expired medications. It highlights the challenges associated with inadequate regulatory frameworks, limited public awareness, and inefficiencies in existing treatment technologies. Furthermore, the manuscript discusses the toxicological effects of drug pollutants on aquatic organisms and humans, stressing the need for integrated waste management and green pharmaceutical practices. Emphasis is placed on safety precautions such as proper drug disposal programs, advanced wastewater treatment methods, eco-pharmacovigilance, and the development of environmentally benign drugs. The study underscores the importance of sustainable strategies to minimize pharmaceutical pollution and protect ecosystem integrity and human health. Overall, this work contributes to a better understanding of pharmaceutical life-cycle impacts and provides a foundation for policy formulation and future research aimed at achieving environmental sustainability in healthcare systems.
Santosh Kumar· International Journal of Env...· 0 citations
Pharmaceutical quality and safety are critical to public health, yet low- and middle-income countries such as Nigeria remain vulnerable to medicine safety challenges due to weak regulatory enforcement and limited market surveillance. A major concern is contamination of pharmaceutical products with toxic heavy metals, including lead, cadmium, mercury, arsenic, nickel, and chromium. These metals can bioaccumulate and cause adverse health effects even at low concentrations, such as neurodevelopmental impairment, renal and hepatic dysfunction, reproductive toxicity, and cardiovascular complications. This narrative review synthesised evidence on the prevalence of heavy metal contamination in pharmaceuticals marketed in Nigeria, associated health risks, and the adequacy of existing regulatory frameworks.Relevant literature published between 2005 and 2025 was identified through a comprehensive literature search of major databases such as PubMed, Google Scholar, African Journals Online, and Scopus, supplemented with reports from the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control, the World Health Organisation, and grey literature. Studies assessing industrially manufactured or over-the-counter medicines for heavy metal contamination in Nigeria were included.The findings reveal recurrent contamination across several pharmaceutical categories, particularly syrups, locally manufactured analgesics, and herbal preparations. Lead and cadmium were the most frequently reported contaminants, with some products containing multiple metals and exceeding pharmacopeial limits. Heavy metal exposure induces oxidative stress and cellular damage, contributing to kidney injury, neurotoxicity, haematological effects, and endocrine disruption. Children, pregnant women, individuals with renal impairment, and frequent users of herbal medicines were identified as particularly vulnerable. Overall, heavy metal contamination remains a significant medicine safety concern in Nigeria, highlighting the need for stronger regulation, improved analytical capacity, and risk-based surveillance.
Blessing Abraham Ogungbe, David Ololade Atanda, Janet Adedoyin Bepo et al.· International Journal of Ris...· 0 citations
Microplastics are plastic particles smaller than 5 mm that have become a growing environmental concern due to their persistence and widespread distribution. They originate from diverse sources, including laundry detergents, vehicle tires, cosmetic microbeads, and the degradation of larger plastics through ultraviolet radiation and saline exposure. This systematic review was conducted following the PRISMA guidelines to summarize current knowledge on the environmental and human health effects of microplastics. A comprehensive literature search was performed in ScienceDirect, PubMed, Web of Science, and Google Scholar databases, yielding 2694 initial records. After applying exclusion criteria and removing duplicates, 111 studies were selected for full reading, and 54 articles were ultimately included in the analysis. The results reveal that microplastics can absorb and release pollutants, leading to the contamination of water and soil and enabling them to enter the food chain, thereby posing potential risks to both ecosystems and human health. However, significant discrepancies were found among the databases regarding the amount and quality of available data, highlighting the need for standardized research approaches. In conclusion, understanding the sources, distribution, and impacts of microplastics is crucial to developing strategies to mitigate their release, and further research is essential to assess their long-term effects and to guide environmental policy.
Diana Aline Gomes, L. F. Cusioli, L. Nishi et al.· Sustainability· 0 citations
