Thread: Human antidepressants found in brains of Great Lakes fish

Medications are not filtered out of municipal water supplies all across the country either. They contain hormones from birth control pills, antidepressants and whatever RX people are taking. A daily dose of synthetic estrogen/progesterone will affect hormone levels undesirably as well as the dangers from the synthetic forms.

Human antidepressants found in brains of Great Lakes fish

By Eleanor Imster in Earth | Human World | September 7, 2017


“Fish are receiving this cocktail of drugs 24 hours a day, and we are now finding these drugs in their brains.
Walleye. Image via U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.

In a new study, researchers detected high concentrations of human antidepressants and their metabolized remnants in the brain tissue of 10 fish species – including bass and walleye – common to the Great Lakes region of the United States. The drugs enter rivers and lakes from treatment plants and sewage overflows, scientists say.

Diana Aga of the University at Buffalo is lead author of the study, published on August 16, 2017 in the journal Environmental Science and Technology. Aga said in a statement:

These active ingredients from antidepressants, which are coming out from wastewater treatment plants, are accumulating in fish brains. It is a threat to biodiversity, and we should be very concerned.

These drugs could affect fish behavior. We didn’t look at behavior in our study, but other research teams have shown that antidepressants can affect the feeding behavior of fish or their survival instincts. Some fish won’t acknowledge the presence of predators as much.

The researchers said that levels of antidepressants they found do not pose a danger to humans who eat the fish, especially in the U.S., where most people do not eat organs like the brain. But the risk that the drugs pose to biodiversity is real, and scientists are just beginning to understand what the consequences might be.

The percentage of Americans taking antidepressants rose 65 percent between 1999-2002 and 2011-14, according to the National Center for Health Statistics. Wastewater treatment facilities have failed to keep pace with this growth, typically ignoring these drugs, which are then released into the environment, Aga says. In general, wastewater treatment focuses narrowly on killing disease-causing bacteria and on extracting solid matter such as human excrement.

Antidepressants, which are found in the urine of people who use the drugs, are largely ignored, along with other chemicals of concern that have become commonplace, Aga said in a statement.

These plants are focused on removing nitrogen, phosphorus, and dissolved organic carbon but there are so many other chemicals that are not prioritized that impact our environment. As a result, wildlife is exposed to all of these chemicals. Fish are receiving this cocktail of drugs 24 hours a day, and we are now finding these drugs in their brains.

Her new study looked for a variety of pharmaceutical and personal care product chemicals in the organs and muscles of 10 fish species: smallmouth bass, largemouth bass, rudd, rock bass, white bass, white perch, walleye, bowfin, steelhead and yellow perch in the Niagara River, a vital conduit that connects two of the Great Lakes, Lake Erie and Lake Ontario, via Niagara Falls.

Antidepressants stood out as a major problem: These drugs or their metabolites were found in the brains of every fish species the scientists studied. The antidepressants that Aga’s team detected in fish brains had accumulated over time, often reaching concentrations that were several times higher than the levels in the river.

Bottom line: New research has detected high concentrations of human antidepressants and their metabolized remnants in the brain tissue of 10 fish species common to the Great Lakes region of the United States.

http://earthsky.org/earth/human-anti...eid=1557b04866

That is such a shame. People don't know they should put their pills in the trash NOT the toilet. Disgusting stupidity.

Yes, do hospitals have a program to drop off old prescriptions?

It is excreted from urination

Originally Posted by Beezer

Yes, do hospitals have a program to drop off old prescriptions?

I don't know. They should. But if you double bag them in small bags and then put them in the trash can inside a larger garbage bag or tin can, inside their bottles, then it goes to the landfill instead of into the water supply.

Originally Posted by artist

It is excreted from urination

Yes, that too. Both sources, but you can't do much about the urination, except to reduce the use of these medications.

Reduce the use of these medications. The US is hooked on anti-depressants and it is dangerous.

They are lost because sometimes they are completely absorbed
and are passed through the body.

Drug Take-back - California

More in this Section... Safe Drug Disposal Portal How Are States Managing Leftover Meds What Do I Do With My Leftover Meds?

What to do with Leftover Medicines CALIFORNIA Follow the links below to find locations and guidance for safe drug take-back and disposal options in your state. Indicates that a collection site is located within a police station/law enforcement facility. Indicates that a collection site is located within a pharmacy. CalRecycle CalRecycle hosts information on hundreds of collection sites across the state for both leftover medications and medical sharps (syringes, pen needles, lancets, etc.) - as well as other products. To find a collection location near you, enter your geographical region/county, select "sharps and/or medication," and then select "home-generated pharmaceuticals" at the top right-hand corner. California's Department of Resources Recycling and Recovery coordinates the state's recycling and waste management programs and provides stewardship information for residents and businesses. NATIONAL RESOURCES Follow the links below to find locations and guidance for safe drug take-back and disposal and options nationally. DEA Collection Location Search Tool Enter your zip code into this federal Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) search tool to find locations that collect controlled substances (including retail pharmacies, hospitals and clinics with on-site pharmacies, etc.). Note: - Police departments and other law enforcement locations are not included in this search. - Pharmacies and other authorized locations that collect onlynon-controlled substances might not be included in this search. AwareRX Run by the National Association of Boards of Pharmacy (NABP) Foundation, this resource provides information about medicine safety and disposal, prescription drug abuse, permanent drug disposal locations, and more. DisposeMyMeds Enter your zip code into the National Community Pharmacists Association’s (NCPA’s) tool to find pharmacy-based drug take-back locations nationwide. Rx Drug Drop Box The National Association of Drug Diversion Investigators’ (NADDI’s) map-based search tool lists drug take-back locations at law enforcement agencies. Walgreens Pharmacy Kiosk Program Use this locator to find safe medication disposal kiosks in Walgreens pharmacy locations. Kiosks are available during regular pharmacy hours. NOTE: Always contact a collection site prior to visiting to confirm its drug take-back program is active and for hours of operation. If you are aware of another drug take-back location search tool or resource that is not included on this page, please email suzy@productstewardship.us. http://www.productstewardship.us/page/1030

I don't believe this much could be in the waters due to people flushing these medications.

How many people actually do flush anti-depressants?