title: Drug residues and endocrine disruptors in drinking water: risk for humans?
abstract: The presence of pharmaceuticals and endocrine disruptors in the environment raises many questions about risk to the environment and human health. Environmental exposure has been largely studied, providing to date a realistic picture of the degree of contamination of the environment by pharmaceuticals and hormones. Conversely, little information is available regarding human exposure. NSAIDS, carbamazepine, iodinated contrast media, β-blockers, antibiotics have been detected in drinking water, mostly in the range of ng/L. it is questioned if such concentrations may affect human health. Currently, no consensus among the scientific community exists on what risk, if any, pharmaceuticals and endocrine disruptors pose to human health. Future European research will focus, on one hand, on genotoxic and cytotoxic anti-cancer drugs and, on the other hand, on the induction of genetic resistance by antibiotics. This review does not aim to give a comprehensive overview of human health risk of drug residues and endocrine disruptors in drinking water but rather highlight important topics of discussion.
authors: Ecole des Mines d'Alès, 6 avenue de Clavières, 30319 Alès Cedex, France. Evelyne.Touraud@mines-ales.fr
authors: Evelyne
authors: E
authors: Touraud
authors: Benoit
authors: B
authors: Roig
authors: John P
authors: JP
authors: Sumpter
authors: Clémence
authors: C
authors: Coetsier
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D060766:Drinking Water / Q000592:standards*; D004350:Drug Residues / Q000009:adverse effects*; D052244:Endocrine Disruptors / Q000009:adverse effects*; D004781:Environmental Exposure / Q000009:adverse effects*; D006801:Humans; D018570:Risk Assessment; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical / Q000009:adverse effects*
chemical_list: D060766:Drinking Water; D052244:Endocrine Disruptors; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical