Potential impact of pharmaceuticals on environmental health.

1 Environmental Processes and Water Technology Research Unit, Department of Environmental Science and Technology, Imperial College, London, London SW7 2AZ, England. Correspondence should be sent to Dr Voulvoulis at this address (email: [email protected]). Ref. No. 03-006189 For much of the last thirty years, research on the effects of chemical pollution of the environment has focused almost exclusively on conventional “priority” pollutants. These polluants are chemicals that have specific effects on organisms, such as the impacts that organotin compounds (used in antifouling paints on ships) are known to have on marine life. There is, however, another highly variable group of chemical compounds that have the potential to cause harm but which receive relatively little attention as possible environmental pollutants. These are pharmaceuticals, including both human and veterinary drugs, and even illicit (recreational) drugs.