Throwing away of drugs may be giving rise to super-bugs, says study

NEW DELHI: A team of researchers found high concentration of drugs increasing through the Yamuna’s course. The drugs could come back to us in milk, vegetables, and other agriculture produce. Scientists at AIIMS say the disposal of unused drugs in the household garbage is partly blamed for this. This is leading to the rise of superbugs that cannot be killed by most antibiotics. Head of Research Team says, “a lot of unused drugs, expired or not, are thrown into dustbins, end up at the landfill, and from there percolate into the local drains and finally end up in Yamuna.”

The study was started by researchers from AIIMS’ ocular pharmacology division in the Yamuna to explain emergence of superbugs in 2015. For analysis, the water samples were taken from seven places along the river including river’s entry and exit points in the city, 35 borewells in Delhi NCR and the water percolating through waste at the Gazipur landfill. A team headed by Dr. T Velpandian, analyzed water samples for 28 drugs (comprising of 24 antibiotic and antifungal drugs, four common painkillers, anti-hypertensive drugs, and the cough and cold medicine). Their findings have been published in the latest edition of the journal Environmental Science and Pollution Research.

Wazirabad, near the entry point of the river in New Delhi, had 0.05 micrograms per litre concentration of fluconazole(antifungal), ofloxacin(antibiotic) and ibuprofen(painkiller). One gram or less of these drugs were found in 20 million litres of river water. Diclofenac(Painkiller) found in double strength of 0.1 micrograms a litre.

At Okhla barrage, near the exit point of river the increase in concentration of fluconazole was 80 times, ofloxacin was 96, and ibuprofen was 50 times.

Dr Velpandian said, “Alarming drug concentration near the area adjacent to Gazipur Landfill was found by the team.” He added that a strict policy for separating and destroying bioactive compounds is needed in highly populated areas to avoid their accumulation in environment. Recommendation was made for monitoring of bioactive compounds in water resources and responsible organisations will create awareness on disposal of unused or expired medicines.

“We recommend continuous monitoring for bioactive compounds in water resources and creating awareness on disposal of unused or expired medicines through responsible organisations.”

The co-author of the study L Moksha said that People often throw away medicines assuming them of no but “they are still active though their potency may have decreased”. He also said that in the developed countries the unused drugs are returned to the pharmacies and further incinerated.