PHARMACEUTICALS and personal care products which include antibiotics, painkillers, hormones, antiseptics, cosmetics, and fragrances have become serious environmental pollutants. These products, which we use every day, are now found almost everywhere in the environment. They are not only affecting soil and water but also entering into our food system, creating serious risks for nature and human health. These harmful substances enter the environment in very common ways. People often throw away unused medicines in toilets, wash off creams and soaps, or pass drug leftovers through urine. These substances then go into wastewater. But most treatment plants are not able to completely remove such complex chemicals. In many countries where water is scarce, this treated wastewater is reused to irrigate crops. As a result, a mix of these chemicals ends up in farm soil. Even more harmful is sewage sludge, which is also known as biosolids and is often used as fertiliser. This sludge contains high levels of chemicals such as synthetic musks (like galaxolide and tonalide), preservatives (like parabens), and antimicrobials (like triclosan).
In Asia, antibiotics such as sulfamethoxazole have been detected at levels between 3 and 124 ng/L, while painkillers like acetaminophen exceed 3,000 ng/L in Saudi Arabia. India鈥檚 surface waters contain triclosan up to 5,160 ng/L and oxybendazone up to 8,880 ng/L, reflecting high usage and poor treatment infrastructure. In Europe, a wide diversity of PPCPs is present, including ciprofloxacin (570鈥�1,200 ng/L), metoprolol (>6,700 ng/L in Italy), and UV stabilisers such as benzotriazole (267鈥�1,980 ng/L in Spain). French groundwater also contains musk compounds up to 1,304 ng/L. The Americas report some of the highest global concentrations, with biosolids in the United States containing triclosan up to 36,060 ng/g, and surface water in Brazil showing synthetic fragrances such as tonalide and galaxolide between 2.39 and 52.5 ng/g in sediments. In Canada, triclocarban concentrations in biosolids reach 6,800 ng/g.
Irrigation water used for agriculture is also significantly contaminated: in Spain, levels of galaxolide have been recorded up to 18,900 ng/L, posing direct risks to crop quality and human food chains. Meanwhile, insect repellents like DEET have been reported at 527 ng/L in Singaporean groundwater. Another major source of contamination is manure from farm animals that are given antibiotics and hormones. This manure is often spread on fields, adding more drug residues to the soil. On top of this, wastewater from drug factories is sometimes dumped directly into rivers. These industrial discharges can be full of active drugs, which then spread downstream into water used for farming and even drinking. Once these substances get into the soil, they don鈥檛 go away easily. Some stay for a few days, while others can remain for months or even years. This causes serious harm to soil life. Antibiotics like tetracycline and sulfamethoxazole kill helpful soil bacteria and fungi, which are important for plant growth and soil health. Painkillers like diclofenac can stop enzymes that help break down dead plant material. Triclosan, a strong antimicrobial, is especially dangerous for soil microbes and can disturb the natural balance.
The most serious threat is how soil can become a centre for antimicrobial resistance. When soil is exposed to antibiotics regularly, it allows bacteria that resist these drugs to survive and grow. These bacteria can even share their resistance traits with others. This makes it harder to treat infections in the future. Studies have shown that applying manure with antibiotics can increase the number of resistant bacteria in soil by a huge amount. There are also other problems. Chemicals like oestrogen, BPA, and parabens can disrupt hormones in animals and humans. They also harm soil organisms. Microplastics from personal care products, like face scrubs, can change how the soil holds water and can carry other harmful chemicals into the soil.
These PPCPs don鈥檛 just stay in the soil 鈥� they often end up in rivers, lakes, and underground water. Rainwater and irrigation help carry them there. Aquatic animals like fish and frogs are exposed to a mix of drugs, such as antidepressants, hormones, and sunscreens. These chemicals can change their behaviour, reduce their ability to reproduce, or even kill them. Some of these substances, like synthetic musks and ibuprofen, build up in the bodies of these animals. When bigger animals or humans eat them, the chemicals move up the food chain and become even more concentrated. In fact, PPCPs have been found in fish all around the world, raising serious food safety concerns. Water that contains PPCPs can also be reused to irrigate fields, especially in countries where clean water is limited. This starts the pollution cycle again. In some parts of Europe, high levels of galaxolide, a type of synthetic fragrance, have been found in irrigation water, showing just how widespread the problem is.
The most alarming part of this cycle is that these chemicals are entering the food we eat. Many crops can take up PPCPs through their roots and leaves. What part of the plant they go to depends on the type of chemical. For example, water-loving chemicals like caffeine build up in leaves, while fat-loving ones like triclosan stay in roots and stems. Studies have found various medicines in food crops like lettuce, carrots, and wheat. Animals that eat these plants or drink contaminated water also absorb PPCPs. These drugs can then stay in their meat or milk, which people consume. Seafood, such as fish and shellfish, is also affected, as they live in polluted water and absorb these chemicals. This means that people are eating tiny amounts of these chemicals without knowing. Over time, this may cause serious health problems, including hormone issues, antibiotic resistance, and long-term illness. It is important to act now. The first step is to stop the problem at the source. There should be strict rules on drug factory waste, less use of unnecessary antibiotics, especially in farming, and better ways to collect and dispose of unused medicines. At the same time, governments must improve wastewater treatment systems. Advanced methods like ozonation, carbon filtration, and membrane technologies can help remove PPCPs more effectively. Farming methods also need to change. Raw sewage sludge should not be used on food crops. Animal waste from drug-treated animals should be handled more safely. Farmers can use protective areas near rivers to prevent runoff. New cleanup methods, like mycoremediation (using fungi to break down chemicals) and electrokinetic remediation (using electric currents to remove drugs from soil), show a lot of promise. Finally, this issue needs global cooperation. Many countries still don鈥檛 monitor PPCPs in soil, water, or food. A strong international agreement is needed to set safe limits, track pollution, and promote safer alternatives.
Pharmaceuticals and personal care products are a big part of our daily lives, and their harmful effects on the environment cannot be ignored. As they silently enter our soils, waters, and food, PPCPs pose a serious risk to nature and human health. It is not just a future problem 鈥� it鈥檚 already happening. To protect our health and our planet, we must take strong action now. The safety of our food and the health of future generations depend on it.
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Arghya Protik Chowdhury is a student of environmental science at the Bangladesh University of Professionals.
