81 drugs and personal-care products were found in salmon caught in the Puget Sound.
Salmon is often considered one of the healthiest foods due to its high omega-3 content, protein, and essential fatty acids. However, a recent study revealed that salmon caught in the Puget Sound is far from healthy.
According to a study, up to 81 drugs and personal-care products were found in the flesh of salmon from the Puget Sound. Some of these drugs include Prozac, Advil, Benadryl, and even cocaine. The presence of these chemicals is attributed to either high usage in the area or inadequate removal by wastewater treatment plants. Leaky septic tanks are also believed to contribute to the contamination.
Environmental toxicologist Jim Meador from NOAA’s Northwest Fisheries Science Center in Seattle mentioned, “The concentrations in effluent were higher than we expected. We analyzed samples for 150 compounds and detected 61% of them in effluent. So we know these are going into the estuaries.”
Samples collected during the study showed that migratory juvenile chinook salmon and resident staghorn sculpin contained various chemicals, not only in their tissue but also in the water. The researchers suspect that the study underreports the extent of contamination, especially near outfall pipes or in deeper water.
Among the detected drugs and contaminants were Flonase, Aleve, Tylenol, Paxil, Valium, Zoloft, Tagamet, OxyContin, and many antibiotics. While researchers are less concerned about human consumption of the contaminated fish, they are worried about the impact on wildlife. Meador’s recent work showed that juvenile chinook salmon in Puget Sound estuaries have a mortality rate twice that of fish in cleaner waters.
Unfortunately, the contamination issue is not expected to improve, with an estimated 97,000 pounds of drugs and chemicals entering the Puget Sound annually.
Similar to plastic pollution and carbon emissions, this problem is man-made and requires immediate attention and action to address.
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