Psychotropic medicine mixed in sewage may affect fish's brain

ByNirbhao

One in four people of Montreal is some kindAntidepressantIt seems to be using.University of MontrealChemists, through sewageSt. Lawrence River, It is confirmed that these drugs accumulated in the fish tissues inhabiting the river confirmed the influence of the fish on the brain and the influence on the ecosystem is concerned.

Details are as below.Montrealers are feeding fish Prozac

Montreal and St. Lawrence RiverOttawa RiverIt is a city developed in Kawanakajima at the confluence of the city, surrounded by rivers. Dr. Sébastien Sauvé, a chemist at the University of Montreal who has been investigating chemical contamination of water systems around Montreal for many years, lives nearbyKawamassuWe confirmed that antidepressants are accumulated in the tissues of the brains.


Because Montreal's sewage treatment system is said to be the third largest in the world and is said to be "typical" similar to the processing system adopted in many large cities, the results of this survey are of international importance It will have. "Montreal's sewage employs a very basic treatment system, basically only solids are removed and water sterilization is not done, but it is very difficult to remove antidepressants from sewage in terms of chemical structure It is difficult for them, even if they are far higher performance processing systems than Montreal, removal of antidepressants will be difficult, "Dr. Sauvé says.

Sewage treatment facility in Montreal.


"Although it is known that antidepressants have negative side effects for humans, it is still not clear how these chemicals affect the fish, and thus the St. Lawrence River ecology in a concrete manner Although it is Dr. Sauvé who says it is unknown, it is said that it is a chronic toxicity rather than the acute toxicity of an antidepressant (an immediate toxicity developed by a single large dose administration) which is a problem for aquatic organisms,SerotoninInvolved in accommodationBiomarkerThe researchers suggest that the biological effects on fish can be estimated by the measurement of the fish.

In addition, Dr. Sauvé emphasizes that there is no imminent danger to humans. "The antidepressant that flowed into the river is like melting just one grain of salt in the Olympic size (50 m × 25 m) competition pool, not the concentration that affects humans. If you fish here, The trace metal is more concerned than the antidepressant, but the impact on the river's ecosystem is considered, which is not only a problem in Montreal but also a problem in cities around the world. "