University of Coimbra study reveals waters contaminated by pharmaceuticals in Europe

Coimbra – An international study led by the Faculty of Science and Technology of the University of Coimbra (FCTUC) revealed widespread contamination by pharmaceuticals in the waters of urban streams in Europe.
The research is part of the OneAquaHealth project and analyzed 102 streams located in the cities of Benevento (Italy), Coimbra (Portugal), Ghent (Belgium), Toulouse (France), and Oslo (Norway), FCTUC announced today in a statement sent to the Lusa agency.
The results of the study indicate the presence of 16 pharmaceuticals belonging to six therapeutic groups, detected in 91% of the sampling sites.
Pharmaceutical mixtures were found in 79% of the analyzed points.
“Among the most frequent compounds are irbesartan and bisoprolol (antihypertensives), as well as carbamazepine (anticonvulsant), identified in more than half of the urban streams,” said FCTUC PhD student Fernanda Rodrigues.
According to the responsible researcher, quoted in the note, “paracetamol showed higher concentrations, while irbesartan, bisoprolol, and fluoxetine reached record levels compared to what was previously reported in the scientific literature.”
In Coimbra, 14 pharmaceuticals were detected in the urban streams, with a focus on carbamazepine, irbesartan, losartan, atenolol, and venlafaxine.
According to the researcher from the Center for Marine and Environmental Sciences (MARE) of FCTUC Maria João Feio, “one of the sampling sites in the city presented 70% of the analyzed compounds,” with the highest concentrations corresponding to the antihypertensives irbesartan and atenolol.
“Although less frequent, four of the seven antibiotics tested were also found in the waters of Coimbra, a particularly concerning fact given the growing antimicrobial resistance, considered one of the most serious threats to global public health,” she warned.
The research also identified significant statistical differences between the contamination patterns of the cities, with Coimbra and Oslo showing lower levels.
According to FCTUC, in Portuguese territory, the presence of pharmaceuticals was statistically associated with the morphological and ecological condition of the streams and the degree of urban impermeabilization.
These results demonstrate that pollution does not depend solely on the consumption of medications but also on the ecological quality and conservation status of riparian ecosystems.
The research thus highlights “the urgent need to restore freshwater ecosystems and to implement new technologies for the removal of pharmaceuticals at wastewater treatment plants,” the researchers pointed out. (03/11/25)