Small amounts of opioids, including fentanyl, antidepressants, and other drugs have been discovered in freshwater fish from the Waterloo Region, according to a recent study.
The research, carried out by a group of University of Waterloo scientists, identified various substances that influence the central nervous system in small fish inhabiting rivers that receive urban wastewater.
Mark Servos, a professor in the Department of Biology and a researcher at the Water Institute, shared with that public health officials had raised concerns about whether these substances were present.
“So we asked, are these compounds that we can measure in the wastewater occurring downstream, getting into the river, and what kind of impact might they have on fish?” he said. “Are they getting into the environment, and what kind of risk do they represent to ecosystems, and particularly fish?”
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Using a new analysis technique, the researchers led by Diana Cárdenas-Soracá, a postdoctoral fellow at Waterloo, found that male fish had higher levels of certain substances compared to females.
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Get daily Canada news delivered to your inbox so you’ll never miss the day’s top stories. Cárdenas-Soracá pointed out that these substances are being detected even though water treatment is done in areas like the Waterloo Region. However, she emphasized this doesn’t mean treatment facilities aren’t effective. “They actually have invested a lot of effort in trying to improve their methods and they are doing a very good job on that,” she said. “They get well treated, but still sometimes very small amounts can pass.” Servos mentioned that chemicals such as fentanyl and methadone are “very diverse,” allowing them to slip through treatment plants at low concentrations. He also noted that these facilities were not designed to handle such “complexity” found in these types of chemicals. More on Environment More videos Telling that while there’s no danger to humans from traces found on fish, it can still have an overall impact. “The levels are extremely low, but because fish live in that environment and they essentially breathe it continuously, they could be very sensitive to it, and that could have impairments that can impact our overall well-being as humans,” Servos said. “So we should be vigilant about what we’re putting down sewers because not all of it is going to be treatable.” Story continues below The presence of pharmaceuticals and other drugs in nature isn’t entirely new; however, Servos highlighted this study as unique since it’s the first time this “novel group of bioactive chemicals” has been found in fish and aquatic organisms. The results can assist researchers in understanding risks better and figuring out how to safeguard these ecosystems. Prior studies showed these substances could change fish behavior or reproduction patterns. While Cárdenas-Soracá’s study didn’t specifically explore this aspect yet; Servos mentioned it’s currently under investigation at Waterloo. & copy 2026 , a division of Corus Entertainment Inc.Source link
