Pharmaceutical Pollution in Indian Waters: An Emerging Environmental Challenge

Abstract

In recent years, a growing environmental concern has risen as pharmaceutical compounds are being detected in natural water bodies. This is mainly due to their direct disposal into the rivers or inadequate removal during wastewater treatment processes. While many developed nations have established guidelines for their monitoring, India lacks specific policies despite being one of the major pharmaceutical manufacturers and consumers. This review paper presents a comprehensive study of the numeral, spatial and temporal extent of these contaminants. It covers literature reported over the past two decades, which reveals a significant presence of antibiotics and NSAIDs, detected both in STPs and waterbodies in India. A notable diversity has been observed across all the states, with certain classes of drugs reported more frequently than others which could be due to a lack of comprehensive monitoring. Thus, the findings underscore the urgency for continuous monitoring and implementation of advanced biological treatment techniques. This will play a pivotal role in formulating guidelines intricately connected with sustainable development goals 3, 6, 12 and 14. © The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Singapore Pte Ltd. 2025.