A salmon caught in Puget Sound was found to contain 81 drugs and products for personal care.
Due to its high content of omega-3 fatty acids, other essential fatty acids, and protein, salmon is considered to be one of the healthiest foods in the world. However, a salmon caught in Puget Sound was found to contain 81 drugs and products for personal care, including Advil, Prozac, Lipitor, Paxil, Flonase, Darvon, Valium, Zoloft, Benadryl, and cocaine. In addition, it was considered that the levels were very high because either the water plants were not able to remove the harmful chemicals or the people, who live there, use the detected drugs. Moreover, it may have also be caused by the leaky septic jams, because fecal coliform counts were also found.
Recently, Said Jim Meador, an environmental toxicologist at the Northwest Fisheries Science Center, stated that the concentrations detected in effluent were higher than they expected. They analyzed 150 samples and 61% of them were found in effluent.
Moreover, they tested both resident staghorn sculpin and juvenile chinook salmon. Chemicals were found both in the fish tissue and the water. It was discovered that they contained Aleve, Flonase, Paxil, Tylenol, Zoloft, Valium, Tagamet, Darvon, OxyContin, caffeine, Nicotine, Fungicides, anticoagulants, antiseptics, and other antibiotics.
What was interesting is the fact that the researchers were not worried about the effects these contaminants have on the humans who consumed the fish, but they were worried about the drugs’ effects on the wildlife. Moreover, studies suggest that about 97.000 pounds of drugs and other chemicals might be released the Puget Sound every year.
Similar to the problems of carbon output and plastic environmental pollution, this serious issue is caused by humans and requires their attention and participation.
