Study, Feb./17: "Screening of benzodiazepines in thirty European rivers"

Sad news, indeed:

 

"This study clearly shows that benzodiazepines are common micro-contaminants of the largest European river systems at ng L-1 levels. Although these concentrations are more than a magnitude lower than those reported to have effective effects on exposed biota, environmental effects cannot be excluded considering the possibility of additive and sub-lethal effects."

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/28273540

I heard similar things about antibiotics years ago.  It's crazy that we keep making things that we have no way to dispose of and haven't figured out a better way yet.  Though I don't really know what to do about it either.

I think a lot of it has to do with what comes out in our urine. Some of it might be from improperly disposed-of medications, but I think the rest is from human waste. It has to go somewhere, right? There are many chemicals in the lakes and rivers, and they're affecting fish and other marine life. Quite sad.