MongabayPharmaceutical pollution from wastewater is widespread in rivers and lakes — and it doesn’t stay there.
Studies show drug residues accumulate in aquatic insects, then move into terrestrial food webs when birds and bats eat them.
Researchers have found changes in insect physiology and behavior, with possible ripple effects for ecosystems.
The full consequences remain largely unknown.
by Sean Mowbray
https://news.mongabay.com/2026/02/insects-are-moving-pharmaceutical-pollutants-from-rivers-to-land-risks-unknown/
#news #climatechange #conservation #ecosystems #planetaryhealth
Insects are moving pharmaceutical pollutants from rivers to land; risks unknown
Pharmaceuticals that people globally rely on for daily health — including antibiotics, antidepressants and painkillers — are entering ecosystems via wastewater, posing poorly understood risks. Once there, aquatic insects can accumulate these chemical contaminants, with their predators transporting them back onto land, raising concern among scientists. A recent paper found that a host of pharmaceuticals […]