Sharks on cocaine: Alarming marine pollution off Brazil's coast
Scientists have made a shocking discovery. Off the coast of Brazil, a significant presence of sharks under the influence of cocaine has been detected. This is a result of drugs leaking into ocean waters. The problem of water pollution with cocaine is not limited to regions leading to drug exportation.
As reported by the BBC, marine biologists studied 13 sharks in Brazilian waters. In the bodies of each of them a high concentration of cocaine was detected in the liver and muscles.
The problem of water pollution affects more than the world's leading regions in the production and export of drugs. Europe has some of the most cocaine-contaminated waterways in the world, with Antwerp (Belgium) at the top of the list.
Based on wastewater samples, the European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction (EMCDDA) has created an interactive map showing the extent of drug-contaminated waterways. The data includes 108 cities.
The problem of cocaine-contaminated waterways. Antwerp leads
In Antwerp, which ranks first, 1.7 grams of cocaine per 1,000 people can be detected. Second in line is Spanish Tarragona, whose rate was 1.5 grams per 1,000 people.
Reykjavik in Iceland also recorded surprisingly high levels of cocaine contamination, with the city of 123,000 residents pumping 0.6 grams of cocaine per 1,000 people into the wastewater.
The level of cocaine in city wastewater poses a severe problem for wildlife. During storms or due to poor sewer performance, untreated sewage can reach waterways around large cities, carrying large amounts of cocaine.
Like all chemical pollutants, these substances enter the food chain and accumulate in animals, causing dramatic health consequences for them.
