Synonyms
Therapeutic drugs
Definition
Pharmaceuticals are a class of contaminants that are extensively and increasingly being used throughout the world in human and veterinary medicine. They encompass all prescription, nonprescription, and over-the-counter human therapeutic drugs used for the diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of disease, illicit or recreational drugs, products of personal care (e.g., fragrances, lotions, cosmetics, and sunscreens), veterinary drugs, and bioactive food supplements (Khetan and Collins, 2007).
Sources and legacy
Advances in sample pretreatment and analysis have allowed the identification of trace quantities of pharmaceuticals in all aquatic compartments in the last two decades. The widespread occurrence of these substances are of concern because they are designed to perform a specific biological effect; thus they have many of the necessary properties to provoke effects in nontarget species in the aquatic and continental ecosystems at lower...
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Hatje, V. (2016). Pharmaceuticals. In: Kennish, M.J. (eds) Encyclopedia of Estuaries. Encyclopedia of Earth Sciences Series. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-017-8801-4_141
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-017-8801-4_141
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