Assessing the exposure to human and veterinary pharmaceuticals in waterbirds: The use of feathers for monitoring antidepressants and nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs

Distefano, Gabriele Giuseppe; Zangrando, Roberta; Basso, Marco; Panzarin, Lucio; Gambaro, Andrea; Ghirardini, Annamaria Volpi; Picone, Marco

doi:10.1016/j.scitotenv.2022.153473

Cited by 18 publications

(2 citation statements)

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“…Indeed, antibiotics (including enrofloxacin and ciprofloxacin) and their metabolites were detected at high frequency in the faeces of white storks and two gull species wintering in Doñana National Park and surrounding areas in Andalusia, South Spain [ 53 ]. In addition, recently, human and veterinary pharmaceuticals (NSAIDs and antidepressants) were detected in the feathers of fledging Mediterranean gulls ( Ichtyaetus melanocephalus ) and Sandwich terns ( Thalasseus sandvicensis ) from the Venice Lagoon (Italy), with diclofenac being the most commonly detected drug [ 40 ].…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Indeed, distinguishing between possible incidental ingestion by birds feeding in dumps and exposure to these compounds through the consumption of contaminated food and water can be challenging. Exposure to pharmaceuticals via sewage water may be particularly frequent in the case of waterfowl or terrestrial bird species that regularly drink contaminated water [ 37 , 39 , 40 ]. In these cases, it is expected that a high occurrence of drug residues in birds may reflect indirect drug exposure.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Domestic Waste and Wastewaters as Potential Sources of Pharmaceuticals in Nestling White Storks (Ciconia ciconia)

et al. 2023

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Information on the exposure of wild birds to pharmaceuticals from wastewater and urban refuse is scarce despite the enormous amount of drugs consumed and discarded by human populations. We tested for the presence of a battery of antibiotics, NSAIDs, and analgesics in the blood of white stork (Ciconia ciconia) nestlings in the vicinity of urban waste dumps and contaminated rivers in Madrid, central Spain. We also carried out a literature review on the occurrence and concentration of the tested compounds in other wild bird species to further evaluate possible shared exposure routes with white storks. The presence of two pharmaceutical drugs (the analgesic acetaminophen and the antibiotic marbofloxacin) out of fourteen analysed in the blood of nestlings was confirmed in 15% of individuals (n = 20) and in 30% of the nests (n = 10). The apparently low occurrence and concentration (acetaminophen: 9.45 ng mL−1; marbofloxacin: 7.21 ng mL−1) in nestlings from different nests suggests the uptake through food acquired in rubbish dumps rather than through contaminated flowing water provided by parents to offspring. As with other synthetic materials, different administration forms (tablets, capsules, and gels) of acetaminophen discarded in household waste could be accidentally ingested when parent storks forage on rubbish to provide meat scraps to their nestlings. The presence of the fluoroquinolone marbofloxacin, exclusively used in veterinary medicine, suggests exposure via consumption of meat residues of treated animals for human consumption found in rubbish dumps, as documented previously at higher concentrations in vultures consuming entire carcasses of large livestock. Control measures and ecopharmacovigilance frameworks are needed to minimize the release of pharmaceutical compounds from the human population into the environment.

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Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%