Toxic Substances Hydrology Program |
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Do You Know What You Are Drinking? |
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Pharmaceuticals, Hormones, and Other Organic Wastewater Contaminants in Iowa's Streams. |
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going into Iowa's river, . . . |
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Is the Ibuprofen you take for a headache, or the antibiotics used to keep livestock healthy, or the insect repellant you use eventually ending up in our rivers? To answer these questions, the Toxic Substances Hydrology Program of the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) has conducted the first ever reconnaissance of pharmaceuticals, hormones, and other organic waste water-related chemicals (OWCs) in Iowa's steams. To provide more focused research on OWCs in Iowa, the USGS has partnered with the IDNR Geological Survey Bureau. |
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and eventually ending up in our drinking water? |
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The presence of these chemicals in our water supplies have recently brought on new concerns of their effect on human health such as increased incidents of cancer, reproductive health, or the development of antibiotic-resistant bacteria. At present, few regulations and standards exist regarding OWCs, and wastewater treatment processes are not designed to remove many of these chemicals. This unique study plans to provide the methods and guidance for future monitoring of these contaminants, and establish new priorities for research and regulation. | |||
Website Generated by Jon F. Nania |