Pharmaceuticals are invaluable allies in human and veterinary medicine, but their indiscriminate use can transform them into formidable pollutants—a threat that remains largely underestimated. The growth of the pharmaceutical market has increased the environmental presence of drugs, both as original compounds during production and as metabolites following administration. Particularly concerning is the presence of antibiotics in wastewater, which contributes to the development and spread of bacterial resistance. This review analyzes the primary causes of environmental pharmaceutical pollution and its impact on ecosystems. We describe the most significant results obtained from analyzing wastewater, primarily in Italy, but also in other European countries, and examine the official positions of environmental protection organizations.
Zampelli et al. (Mon,) studied this question.