[Molecules used for therapeutic or diagnostic purposes are micro water polluants]

Molecules used for therapeutic or diagnostic purposes have been identified and quantified in Europe and North America in surface and ground waters used for production of drinking water. When mixed with other organic compounds such as pesticides, hydrocarbons, or plasticizers which may present endocrine-disturbing or genotoxic effects, such molecules may, even in low concentrations, present an ecotoxicological or public health hazard. For this reason, healthcare professionals involved in drug production as well as drug users must take care to limit release of such molecules into the environment. Work on environmental behavior of marketed products and on health hazard assessment must be favored in order to acquire appropriate knowledge of the environmental and health risks.