Impacts of Pharmaceuticals and Personal Care Products on Australian Aquatic Ecosystems

Every day, a wide variety of drugs, antibiotics, personal care products and cosmetics make their way into our aquatic ecosystems via domestic wastewater systems. Currently, very little is known about the environmental impacts of these biologically active molecules. 2012 pilot studies at Monash University demonstrated that a common antihistamine can completely suppress photosynthesis, dramatically decreasing food supplies for insects and fish. This project will investigate the acute and long term impacts of commonly used pharmaceutical and personal care products on Australia's streams, lakes and waterways thus providing insight into the effects of these compounds which can then be used to help develop effective management strategies.