A global study has raised serious concerns about antibiotic pollution in India's rivers, warning that up to 80% of their total length may pose significant environmental and health risks. Antibiotics are only partially metabolized by the human body. After excretion, residual antibiotics enter river systems through wastewater. The study assessed antibiotic contamination in global rivers using data from a worldwide river and lake network database, an antibiotic consumption database, and a contaminant model.
The study estimates that humans consume 32,200 tonnes of antibiotics annually worldwide. The 40 most commonly used antibiotics account for 29,200 tonnes per year, of which 8,500 tonnes (29%) eventually reach river systems, and 3,300 tonnes (11%) are released into oceans or inland sinks. Notably, an estimated six million kilometers of rivers worldwide are exposed to antibiotic…
