A new study says areas of the Hudson River from Troy to New York City are spiked with pharmaceuticals that could pose a threat to aquatic life.
The study announced this week was a collaboration of researchers from Columbia University, the Environmental Protection Agency, Riverkeeper and Queens College. Researchers found 16 different pharmaceutical compounds from 72 spots along the river.
The drugs included antibiotics and medicine to treat epilepsy, ulcers and other ailments. The highest concentrations were found near sewage outfalls. Researchers said there's no evidence the low concentrations could pose a human health concern.
Sewage plants aren't required to remove pharmaceuticals. Previous studies also have showed pharmaceuticals in numerous waterways.
The Hudson River study appears in the early online edition of the journal Water Research.
