Anthelmintics in the environment: Their occurrence, fate, and toxicity to non-target organisms

0578394 - ÚEB 2025 RIV GB eng J - Journal Article
Vokřál, I. - Podlipná, Radka - Matoušková, P. - Skálová, L.
Anthelmintics in the environment: Their occurrence, fate, and toxicity to non-target organisms.
Chemosphere. Roč. 345, DEC (2023), č. článku 140446. ISSN 0045-6535. E-ISSN 1879-1298
R&D Projects: GA TA ČR(CZ) SS06020173
Institutional support: RVO:61389030
Keywords : Drug circulation * Ecotoxicity * Environmental impact * Veterinary drugs
OECD category: Agricultural biotechnology and food biotechnology
Impact factor: 8.8, year: 2022
Method of publishing: Open access
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chemosphere.2023.140446

Anthelmintics are drugs used for the treatment and prevention of diseases caused by parasitic worms (helminths). While the importance of anthelmintics in human as well as in veterinary medicine is evident, they represent emerging contaminants of the environment. Human anthelmintics are mainly used in tropical and sub-tropical regions, while veterinary anthelmintics have become frequently-occurring environmental pollutants worldwide due to intensive agri- and aquaculture production. In the environment, anthelmintics are distributed in water and soil in relation to their structure and physicochemical properties. Consequently, they enter various organisms directly (e.g. plants, soil invertebrates, water animals) or indirectly through food-chain. Several anthelmintics elicit toxic effects in non-target species. Although new information has been made available, anthelmintics in ecosystems should be more thoroughly investigated to obtain complex knowledge on their impact in various environments. This review summarizes available information about the occurrence, behavior, and toxic effect of anthelmintics in environment. Several reasons why anthelmintics are dangerous contaminants are highlighted along with options to reduce contamination. Negative effects are also outlined.
Permanent Link: https://hdl.handle.net/11104/0347392