01-40_WC_149_JUL-AUG26_PT - Flipbook - Page 27
FRESHWATER
Compounds of Concern
Scientists study freshwater 昀椀sh exposed to opioids
BY WARREN FREY
NEW STUDY POINTS to drugs in
wastewater as a new set of compounds
affecting freshwater fish in rivers.
Researchers at the University of Waterloo
found several chemical substances such as
opioids and anti-depressants are present in Ontario
freshwater fish living downstream from treatment
plants.
University of Waterloo department of biology
professor and Water Institute researcher Dr.
Mark Servos said a concurrent study about harm
reduction led to testing whether drugs present in
wastewater affected aquatic populations and added
pharmaceuticals in water have been a focus of study
generally for some time.
“They’re not always illicit drugs, for instance
fentanyl can be used in hospitals, but they’re highrisk and can also be used illicitly,” he said. “Our
question was can we develop methods to measure
(the compounds) that are of concern for health
reduction and then turn around and see if they’re in
the environment, with this being the first study to
see if the substances were in the tissue of the fish.”
Three different types of fish were studied, Servos
said along with both sexes of each type of fish.
One site was used for this study, Servos said, but
similar measurements have been found at other sites.
University of Waterloo
A
Warren Frey is a freelance
writer based in Vancouver.
University of Waterloo researchers in the 昀椀eld
gathering samples to study the e昀昀ects of opioids and
other compounds on freshwater 昀椀sh.
“Our question was can we develop methods to measure (the compounds)
that are of concern for health reduction and then turn around and see
if they’re in the environment, with this being the 昀椀rst study to see if the
substances were in the tissue of the 昀椀sh.”
WATERCANADA.NE T
WATER C AN ADA • JULY/AUGUS T 2026
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