Pharmaceutical pollution of the world's rivers

Environmental exposure to active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs) can have negative effects on the health of ecosystems and humans. While numerous studies have monitored APIs in rivers, these employ different analytical methods, measure different APIs, and have ignored many of the countries of the world. This makes it difficult to quantify the scale of the problem from a global perspective. Furthermore, comparison of the existing data, generated for different studies/regions/continents, is challenging due to the vast differences between the analytical methodologies employed. Here, we present a global-scale study of API pollution in 258 of the world's rivers, representing the environmental influence of 471.4 million people across 137 geographic regions. Samples were obtained from 1,052 locations in 104 countries (representing all continents and 36 countries not previously studied for API contamination) and analyzed for 61 APIs. Highest cumulative API concentrations were observed in sub-Saharan Africa, south Asia, and South America. The most contaminated sites were in low- to middle-income countries and were associated with areas with poor wastewater and waste management infrastructure and pharmaceutical manufacturing. The most frequently detected APIs were carbamazepine, metformin, and caffeine (a compound also arising from lifestyle use), which were detected at over half of the sites monitored. Concentrations of at least one API at 25.7% of the sampling sites were greater than concentrations considered safe for aquatic organisms, or which are of concern in terms of selection for antimicrobial resistance. Therefore, pharmaceutical pollution poses a global threat to environmental and human health, as well as to delivery of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals

Socioeconomic and Cultural Importance of The Yellow-Fronted Canary (Serinus Mozambicus) in Northern Benin

The species yellow-fronted canary undergoes a real traffic due to its song and medico-magical properties in order to supply local commercial networks. This study aims to assess the socioeconomic and cultural importance of this bird in order to identify the cohorts of actors involved along this activity chain. In this context a survey was carried out among 400 breeders in four agroecological zones of Benin (ZAE II; ZAE III, ZAE IV and ZAE V). The questionnaire also focused on general characteristics of the respondents on aspects related to general knowledge of the bird, its social importance, purchase and sale price, cultural importance and breeders’ perceptions. Canary traders, mostly with primary education level (63.25%) and Muslim (97.5%), were on average 44 years old and an average experience of 27 years. They exercised this activity in part-time (96.5%). The knowledge about canary is shared is different depending on the ethnic group. The activity was profitable for all of them (100%) with 128,624 FCFA (233.18 USD) net profit per month. The trader's education level, whether or not he belonged to ZAE II, the number of birds he had in his possession, the daily amount he invested in their food, their selling price, the number of years he made the activity, his experience in the business were the factors that determine the net profit of the canary’s trader. However, canaries' breeding in north-Benin is based on a complex system with actors who develop many myths around medico-magical practices. This study was necessary to better assess the pressure on the species in order to anticipate its conservation

Cutting height as a competition control factor in teak (Tectona grandis L.f) plantations in southern Benin

The effect of stump sprouts on the growth of trees in the main plantation under system of even-aged forest was investigated in this study. In this context, eight plantations taking into account the age, the number of thinning and the type of soil were selected. In order to assess the practices related to cutting height, a survey was carried out in each plantation. In each plantation, at least, two square plots measuring 50 × 50 m (one containing trees with less stump sprouts and the other containing trees with stump sprouts) were installed. The density of stump sprouts and filler trees had a detrimental effect on the growth of trees in the main plantation. Competition for resources was the main cause. The density of stumps and those of filler trees within a radius of 5 m around each future tree were estimated at 3 stumps and 3 filler trees respectively. The distance between the future trees and the stump sprouts or the filler trees was estimated at around 3 m. The search for an appropriate cutting level, spacing of trees and compliance with recommendations related to silvicultural practices are among other solutions to limit this competition

Influence of the timing of malaria infection during pregnancy on birth weight and on maternal anemia in Benin

Although consequences of malaria in pregnancy are well known, the period of pregnancy in which infection has the highest impact is still unclear. In Benin, we followed up a cohort of 1,037 women through pregnancy until delivery. The objective was to evaluate the relationship between the timing of infection and birth weight, and maternal anemia at delivery. At the beginning of pregnancy, peripheral infections were associated with a decrease in mean birth weight (-98.5 g; P = 0.03) and an increase in the risk of anemia at delivery (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] = 1.6; P = 0.03). Infections in late pregnancy were related to a higher risk of maternal anemia at delivery (aOR = 1.7; P = 0.001). To fully protect the women during the whole pregnancy, already implemented measures (insecticide-treated nets and intermittent preventive treatment) should be reinforced. In the future, a vaccine against pregnancy-associated malaria parasites could protect the women in early pregnancy, which seems to be a high-risk period

Pharmaceutical pollution of the world's rivers

Environmental exposure to active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs) can have negative effects on the health of ecosystems and humans. While numerous studies have monitored APIs in rivers, these employ different analytical methods, measure different APIs, and have ignored many of the countries of the world. This makes it difficult to quantify the scale of the problem from a global perspective. Furthermore, comparison of the existing data, generated for different studies/regions/continents, is challenging due to the vast differences between the analytical methodologies employed. Here, we present a global-scale study of API pollution in 258 of the world's rivers, representing the environmental influence of 471.4 million people across 137 geographic regions. Samples were obtained from 1,052 locations in 104 countries (representing all continents and 36 countries not previously studied for API contamination) and analyzed for 61 APIs. Highest cumulative API concentrations were observed in sub-Saharan Africa, south Asia, and South America. The most contaminated sites were in low- to middle-income countries and were associated with areas with poor wastewater and waste management infrastructure and pharmaceutical manufacturing. The most frequently detected APIs were carbamazepine, metformin, and caffeine (a compound also arising from lifestyle use), which were detected at over half of the sites monitored. Concentrations of at least one API at 25.7% of the sampling sites were greater than concentrations considered safe for aquatic organisms, or which are of concern in terms of selection for antimicrobial resistance. Therefore, pharmaceutical pollution poses a global threat to environmental and human health, as well as to delivery of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.N