The Bonefish & Tarpon Trust commissioned the Florida International University’s Coastal Fisheries research lab to conduct a Redfish Pharmaceutical Contaminants Study. The results of their investigation were shocking, but a solution is still possible if we act now. 2.1 pharmaceuticals per redfish blood plasma sample was the average they found among 113 Florida redfish samples that had been tested with 94 commonly prescribed pharmaceuticals. Out of those 17 unique pharmaceuticals were found in all but 7 fish, with flecainide (an antiarrhythmic agent) present in 53% and tramadol (a synthetic opioid analgesic) in 52%.
Research conducted in Europe revealed that ozone treatment can effectively eliminate pharmaceuticals from wastewater. Florida is looking to upgrade their wastewater infrastructure, so as to tackle nutrients (which cause Harmful Algal Blooms like red tide). This should also include retrofitting current treatments with further solutions to target contaminants of emerging concern, integrating additional steps in upcoming facilities, switching septic systems to residential waste treatment, and making sure that the infrastructure can support both present and potential inflow.
Full report: bonefishtarpontrust.org
