COVID-19 drugs in aquatic systems: a review

The outbreak of the human coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has induced an unprecedented increase in the use of several old and repurposed therapeutic drugs such as veterinary medicines, e.g. ivermectin, nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, protein and peptide therapeutics, disease-modifying anti...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Environmental chemistry letters 2022-04, Vol.20 (2), p.1275-1294
Main Authors: Gwenzi, Willis, Selvasembian, Rangabhashiyam, Offiong, Nnanake-Abasi O., Mahmoud, Alaa El Din, Sanganyado, Edmond, Mal, Joyabrata
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Analgesics
Analytical Chemistry
Anti-inflammatory agents
Antimicrobial resistance
Antiviral agents
Aquatic ecosystems
Aquatic environment
Aquatic organisms
Azithromycin
Biodegradation
Chronic toxicity
Coronaviruses
Corticoids
Corticosteroids
COVID-19
Disruption
Drug delivery
Drugs
Earth and Environmental Science
Ecological function
Ecotoxicology
Endocrine disruptors
Environment
Environmental Chemistry
Excretion
Geochemistry
Groundwater
Inflammation
Ivermectin
Metabolites
Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs
Pollution
Review
Risk taking
Surface water
Toxicity
Trophic relationships
Viral diseases
Wastewater treatment
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Summary:The outbreak of the human coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has induced an unprecedented increase in the use of several old and repurposed therapeutic drugs such as veterinary medicines, e.g. ivermectin, nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, protein and peptide therapeutics, disease-modifying anti-rheumatic drugs and antimalarial drugs, antiretrovirals, analgesics, and supporting agents, e.g. azithromycin and corticosteroids. Excretion of drugs and their metabolites in stools and urine release these drugs into wastewater, and ultimately into surface waters and groundwater systems. Here, we review the sources, behaviour, environmental fate, risks, and remediation of those drugs. We discuss drug transformation in aquatic environments and in wastewater treatment systems. Degradation mechanisms and metabolite toxicity are poorly known. Potential risks include endocrine disruption, acute and chronic toxicity, disruption of ecosystem functions and trophic interactions in aquatic organisms, and the emergence of antimicrobial resistance.
ISSN:1610-3653
1610-3661
DOI:10.1007/s10311-021-01356-y