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<p class="MsoNormal"><a href="http://www.nation.co.ke/news/Drug-traces-found-in-water-sources/-/1056/3278662/-/114xxez/-/index.html">http://www.nation.co.ke/news/Drug-traces-found-in-water-sources/-/1056/3278662/-/114xxez/-/index.html</a><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<h3><span lang="EN"><o:p> </o:p></span></h3>
<h3><span lang="EN">In Summary<o:p></o:p></span></h3>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto;margin-left:0in;text-indent:-.25in;line-height:18.0pt;mso-list:l1 level1 lfo3">
<![if !supportLists]><span lang="EN" style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Symbol"><span style="mso-list:Ignore">·<span style="font:7.0pt "Times New Roman"">
</span></span></span><![endif]><span lang="EN" style="font-family:"Helvetica",sans-serif">These drugs, measured in quantities of parts per billion or trillion, include nevirapine and zidovudine (for HIV treatment) and antibiotics like metronidazole, sulfamethoxazole
and trimethoprim. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto;margin-left:0in;text-indent:-.25in;line-height:18.0pt;mso-list:l1 level1 lfo3">
<![if !supportLists]><span lang="EN" style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Symbol"><span style="mso-list:Ignore">·<span style="font:7.0pt "Times New Roman"">
</span></span></span><![endif]><span lang="EN" style="font-family:"Helvetica",sans-serif">Kisumu has higher concentrations of the antibiotic sulfadoxin, which is a combined drug with Fansidar that is used to treat malaria.
<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:18.0pt"><strong><span lang="EN" style="font-family:"Helvetica",sans-serif">By EUNICE KILONZO</span></strong><span lang="EN" style="font-family:"Helvetica",sans-serif"><br>
<a href="http://www.nation.co.ke/authors/-/1959272/2272740/-/view/asAuthor/-/1038xg5/-/index.html"><span class="author-profile"><span style="color:blue;text-decoration:none">More by this Author</span></span>
</a><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p><span lang="EN">An array of antiretrovirals, antibiotics, hormones and anti-depressants have been found in water points in Nairobi and Kisumu.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p><span lang="EN">Such drugs used to treat depression, fever and pain may pose danger because unlike most pollutants, they were made to act on the body.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p><span lang="EN">In fact, 24 pharmaceuticals — the highest concentrations being antibiotics and ARVs — used to treat HIV and malaria were found in rivers, waste and ground water.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p><span lang="EN">This is according to a study </span><em><span lang="EN">Occurrence Patterns of Pharmaceutical Residues in Waste Water, Surface Water and Ground Water of Nairobi and Kisumu, Kenya
</span></em><span lang="EN">conducted by the University of Eldoret and Ghent University, Belgium.
<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p><span lang="EN">The concentration of these prescription and over-the-counter medicines while minuscule — as they are far below the levels of a medical dose — are worrying scientists like Mr Kenneth K’oreje, one of the authors.
<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p><span lang="EN">“People get drinking water from different sources, including rivers and boreholes, which can be contaminated. Those using such water are exposed to the drugs,” he told the
</span><em><span lang="EN">Nation </span></em><span lang="EN">on Sunday.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p><span lang="EN">“There is a 70 per cent chance that the surface and even treated water may still have traces of the drugs. In fact, some ARVs have resistant products that may be isolated in water long after treatment is done.”<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p><span lang="EN">Mr K’Oreje said due to exposure to antibiotics in the water, the bacteria becomes resistant and when someone ingests it, he or she runs the risk of getting the resistant strain.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p><span lang="EN">These drugs, measured in quantities of parts per billion or trillion, include nevirapine and zidovudine (for HIV treatment) and antibiotics like metronidazole, sulfamethoxazole and trimethoprim.
<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p><span lang="EN">Kisumu has higher concentrations of the antibiotic sulfadoxin, which is a combined drug with Fansidar that is used to treat malaria. When people take drugs, their bodies absorb some of the compounds and the rest are excreted.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p><strong><span lang="EN" style="font-family:"Georgia",serif">HEALTH HAZARD</span></strong><span lang="EN"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p><span lang="EN">The waste water is then treated before it is discharged into rivers, reservoirs or lakes.
<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p><span lang="EN">Pharmaceuticals can also be introduced into water sources through uncontrolled drug disposal (such as discarding medicines in toilets), livestock manure and improper waste disposals by drug manufacturing firms.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p><span lang="EN">Some water is purified at treatment plants and piped to homes but drug residue can still be traced.
<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p><span lang="EN">According to the seven-page study, treatment plants reduced by 35 to 80 per cent the pharmaceuticals in water but their effluent concentrations were up to 15 to 25 times higher than the Kenyan quality standards for effluent discharged into
the environment.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p><span lang="EN">Nairobi Water and Sewerage Company conveys sewer lines from people’s homes into stabilisation ponds at Ruai treatment plant where the water is held for 60 to 90 days. The solid is then decanted.
<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p><span lang="EN">The effluent is released into Nairobi River and ends up in the Indian Ocean.
<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p><span lang="EN">“We don’t have the expertise, instruments and knowledge to monitor these pharmaceuticals in water. It is something we need to think about,” the researcher said.
<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p><span lang="EN">He added that while the trace of the drugs was not a cause for worry, the long term effects could be of concern.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p><span lang="EN">“Studies show the occurrence of the drug compounds affect the ecosystem because fish and other aquatic species are endangered. It is just a matter of time when we too are,” he said.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Laurie Tenace<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Environmental Specialist<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Waste Reduction Section<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Florida Department of Environmental Protection<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">2600 Blair Stone Road, MS4555<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Tallahassee, FL 32399<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><a href="mailto:Laurie.Tenace@dep.state.fl.us">Laurie.Tenace@dep.state.fl.us</a><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">850.245.8759<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
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