Environmental fate of illicit drugs and new psychoactive substances in aquatic systems: Impact, critical insights, and future directions

IF 4.6 3区环境科学与生态学 Q2 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES

Environmental toxicology and pharmacology Pub Date : 2025-12-01 Epub Date: 2025-11-26 DOI:10.1016/j.etap.2025.104880

Akshita Verma, Samuel Sunday Ogunsola, Kaylyn A. Keith, G.D. Thouli L. Jayawardana

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引用次数: 0

Abstract

Illicit drugs and novel psychoactive substances (NPS) in aquatic environments pose growing ecological and public health concerns due to their persistence and toxicity. Released mainly via wastewater and runoff, their transport and fate are influenced by microbial degradation, hydrology, and bioaccumulation. These compounds have been detected in freshwater and marine ecosystems, causing endocrine disruption and toxicity in aquatic organisms, with potential human exposure through water and food. Advances in high-resolution mass spectrometry (HRMS) have improved their detection, while treatment technologies such as advanced oxidation, membrane filtration, and bioremediation are being developed to remove these residues. This review integrates findings from environmental chemistry, ecotoxicology, and public health to assess the sources, behavior, impacts, and mitigation of illicit drugs and NPS in aquatic systems. It highlights the complexity of these contaminants and identifies critical knowledge gaps that must be addressed to support effective monitoring, risk assessment, and regulatory strategies.

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水生系统中非法药物和新型精神活性物质的环境命运：影响、关键见解和未来方向

水生环境中的非法药物和新型精神活性物质由于其持久性和毒性而日益引起生态和公共卫生问题。它们主要通过废水和径流释放，其运输和命运受到微生物降解、水文和生物积累的影响。这些化合物已在淡水和海洋生态系统中被检测到，对水生生物造成内分泌干扰和毒性，人类可能通过水和食物接触到这些化合物。高分辨率质谱法（HRMS）的进步改善了它们的检测，同时正在开发高级氧化、膜过滤和生物修复等处理技术来去除这些残留物。本综述综合了环境化学、生态毒理学和公共卫生方面的研究成果，以评估水生系统中非法药物和NPS的来源、行为、影响和缓解措施。它强调了这些污染物的复杂性，并确定了必须解决的关键知识空白，以支持有效的监测、风险评估和监管战略。

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来源期刊

Environmental toxicology and pharmacology 医学-毒理学

CiteScore

7.00

自引率

4.70%

发文量

185

审稿时长

34 days

期刊介绍： Environmental Toxicology and Pharmacology publishes the results of studies concerning toxic and pharmacological effects of (human and veterinary) drugs and of environmental contaminants in animals and man. Areas of special interest are: molecular mechanisms of toxicity, biotransformation and toxicokinetics (including toxicokinetic modelling), molecular, biochemical and physiological mechanisms explaining differences in sensitivity between species and individuals, the characterisation of pathophysiological models and mechanisms involved in the development of effects and the identification of biological markers that can be used to study exposure and effects in man and animals. In addition to full length papers, short communications, full-length reviews and mini-reviews, Environmental Toxicology and Pharmacology will publish in depth assessments of special problem areas. The latter publications may exceed the length of a full length paper three to fourfold. A basic requirement is that the assessments are made under the auspices of international groups of leading experts in the fields concerned. The information examined may either consist of data that were already published, or of new data that were obtained within the framework of collaborative research programmes. Provision is also made for the acceptance of minireviews on (classes of) compounds, toxicities or mechanisms, debating recent advances in rapidly developing fields that fall within the scope of the journal.