About

The PHARMASEA project is constituted by 5 research Institutions from 4 European countries (Italy, Germany, Norway and Spain) with expertise on environmental chemistry, applied biology and ecotoxicology to answer key research questions on the occurrence, distribution, fate and biological effects of Active Pharmaceutical Ingredients (APIs) in marine ecosystems.  

The project will allow in-depth studies on APIs distribution, effects and risks in four European coastal areas, targeting occurrence, uptake and trophic transfer along regional marine food webs; bioaccumulation/excretion kinetics, potential ecotoxicological effects from molecular to individual levels, and characterization of Modes-Of-Action (MOA) in model and selected marine species; development of specific risk assessment procedures for APIs. 

The communication and connection with industries, private and public stakeholders as well as citizen engagement are important aims to promote public awareness, pre-normative research and implementation into European Directives. 

API consumption of human and veterinary medicines and improper disposal at domestic sites are among the major causes for the release of pharmaceuticals into aquatic environments. Main sources of contamination include wastewater treatment plants, industrial and hospital discharges, aquaculture facilities, animal farming and runoff from soils.  

To date, almost 300 different active principles from different therapeutic classes such as steroid hormones, antibiotics, non-steroidal anti- inflammatory drugs, antidepressants, antihypertensives and antiepileptics have extensively been measured in seawater with concentrations ranging from a few ng/L to hundreds of μg/L.  

Sources: Mezzelani et al. 2020; Mezzelani and Regoli 2022; Moreno-González et al. 2016