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

Abstract

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.

A comprehensive review on the fate and impact of antibiotic residues in the environment and public health: A special focus on the developing countries

“…AR was detected in the river Tagus, the second biggest river in Spain, as well as the rivers Guadarrama, Jarama, Henares, and Manzanares (Blanco et al, 2023). In addition, rivers in Spain (Ebro), Italy (Arno), South Korea (Han), Taiwan (Sindian, Gaoping, Dahan, and Po), France (Seine), the United States (Ozark Stream), and Sweden (Hoje River) have also been the subject of research (Matviichuk et al, 2023; Singh et al, 2019).…”

Rabbits or Refuse? Landfill Use and Relevance as a Food Source for an Increasing Wintering Population of the Red Kite

“…The study was conducted in the southeast of Madrid, central Spain. This is a periurban area, highly degraded by habitat alterations due to urban developments, large infrastructure, former mining operations, and intensive irrigated agriculture [52,53]. In the area, there are two large landfills for domestic waste from the city of Madrid and other surrounding municipalities.…”

“…This enormous amount of waste represents only 10% less than what is deposited in the other landfill in the area (Valdemingómez), the largest in the province of Madrid [55], where a large solid waste incinerator is located. The area has been noted for its high levels of soil and water contamination [53], and references therein] despite the fact that its surroundings belong to a protected area (Parque Regional del Sureste) with high landscape and biodiversity values [56]. Studies on wild birds inhabiting this area have shown high levels of multiple pollutants of different origins [53,[57][58][59].…”

“…The area has been noted for its high levels of soil and water contamination [53], and references therein] despite the fact that its surroundings belong to a protected area (Parque Regional del Sureste) with high landscape and biodiversity values [56]. Studies on wild birds inhabiting this area have shown high levels of multiple pollutants of different origins [53,[57][58][59]. The red kites that feed in the aforementioned landfills establish their communal roosts in the riparian forest of the Manzanares River downstream of the city of Madrid (Figure 1).…”