Shock Discovery: Every Shrimp Sampled in England’s Waterways Tests Positive for Cocaine—What’s Happening Beneath the Surface?
The study, published in the journal Environmental International, revealed just how polluted these waters are — to the point that every single sample of freshwater shrimp (Gammarus pulex) contained trace amounts of cocaine.
“Such regular occurrence of illicit drugs in wildlife was surprising,” Dr. Leon Barron of King’s College confessed. “We might expect to see these in urban areas such as London, but not in smaller and more rural catchments.”
Environmental InternationalA map depicting the sample sites used in this study.
To begin the study, the team collected samples from five catchment areas and 15 various sites across Suffolk County. Rivers used as sample sites included the Alde, Box, Deben, Gipping, and Waveney.
Though cocaine was the only drug found in all collected samples, the presence of ketamine, valium, Xanax, pesticides, and other pharmaceuticals were certainly widespread among the tested shrimp as well.
The observed levels of these compounds were, fortunately, mere trace amounts. The study’s lead author Thomas Miller, however, remained adamant that this is no cause for celebration.
“Although concentrations were low, we were able to identify compounds that might be of concern to the environment and crucially, which might pose a risk to wildlife,” he said.
Big problems can have small beginnings, after all. A person may casually pour some spilled detergent down the drain and think nothing of it, but consumers products (even those prohibited in the United Kingdom) such as these are increasingly finding their way into the water.
Post Comment