Czech researchers found 45 different types of medicines in samples from a river that will be turned into drinking water for the Prague region. Together with Norwegian scientistis, they now search for methods to keep the drugs out of your drinking water.

Today’s medicines have been designed to be stable and long-lasting. A substantial amount of the prescribed drugs taken by people goes through their bodies and out into wastewater. In addition you have all the leftover medicines which are flushed down the sink.

Paracetamol and anti-depressants
“So far, we’ve detected 45 different medicines in the water. We’re seeing that the proportion of Paracetamol is growing year by year, and over the past ten years, there’s been a dramatic increase in anti-depressants. The medicine pollution comes from humans through the sewage system,” says Jan Vymazal, professor at the Czech University of Life Sciences in Prague.

He runs the Aquarius project, where Czech and Norwegian researchers are working together to ensure water quality. The goal is to be able to better trace and balance sources of water pollution and its origins, as well as evaluate typical and alternative waste water treatment methods. The project is supported through the Norway Grants.

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