Janice R. Andrews
Scientists have made a stunning discovery: Brazilian sharpnose sharks off the coast of Rio de Janeiro have tested positive for large amounts of cocaine. After testing 13 sharks, marine researchers from the Oswaldo Cruz Foundation found that the amounts of cocaine in their muscles and livers were up to 100 times greater than those found in other aquatic species.
Since cocaine has never before been found in sharks, this ground-breaking study raises serious questions concerning the effects of drug pollution on the ecology in marine environments. Experts surmise that a variety of sources, such as illicit drug production facilities or drug users’ waste, may be allowing cocaine to infiltrate the ocean. Although traffickers may still dump cocaine at sea, this is seen to be a less likely scenario.
The results’ seriousness was emphasized by Sara Novais, a marine eco-toxicologist from the Polytechnic University of Leiria’s Marine and Environmental Sciences Centre. The discovery, she told Science magazine, is “very important and potentially worrying.” All of the female sharks in the research were found to be pregnant, however it is yet unclear how cocaine exposure affected the developing babies.
To ascertain whether cocaine exposure is changing shark behavior, more investigation is necessary. These marine predators may be at risk because medications can affect animals in ways that are comparable to those experienced by people, according to earlier research.
This is not a unique instance. Benzoylecgonine, a substance the liver produces after using cocaine, was found in seawater samples off the south coast of England last year, highlighting the larger problem of drug contamination in our seas.
This startling discovery serves as a harsh reminder of the far-reaching repercussions of drug pollution in marine settings, motivating scientists to take quick action to solve this urgent issue as they continue their investigation.
