Tested positive for Cocaine for the first time
In Rio de Janeiro, researchers found Cocaine in 13 Reef Sharks for the first time. The source of the Cocaine and the consequences for the animals are still being investigated. However, there are already initial suspicions.
Usually, people are caught with drugs. In the Brazilian coastal metropolis Rio de Janeiro, Haies have been found to be the first to test positive for Cocaine. According to a study published in the scientific journal "Science of The Total Environment," Cocaine was detected in the liver and muscles of 13 Bull Sharks (Rhizoprionodon lalandii).
"In Brazil, studies have already shown the contamination of water and certain aquatic organisms, such as mussels, with Cocaine. Our analysis is the first to find the substance in Haies," explains Pharmacist Enrico Mendes Saggioro, who, along with Biologist Rachel Ann Hauser-Davis, is responsible for the discovery. Haies play a central role in the food chain in the marine ecosystem, according to the Biologist. Damages, including various forms of pollution, can be detected through them.
According to the latest World Drug Report, published by the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) in 2024, Brazil is one of the largest consumers of Cocaine worldwide. Researchers assume that the drug mainly enters the sea through the disposal of Cocaine wastewater. They also point to the large amounts of drugs consumed in the city.
To determine the exact effects of Cocaine contamination on animals, specific studies are required, which do not yet exist. "It is suspected that they may affect growth, maturation, and possibly fertility in Haies, as the liver plays a role in the development of embryos," says Biologist Hauser-Davis.
The discovery of Cocaine in 13 Bull Sharks in Rio de Janeiro raises international concern, as Brazil is one of the largest consumers of this drug according to the UNODC's World Drug Report. To protect the marine ecosystem and its inhabitants, environmental efforts should extend beyond land and include the prevention of drug wastewater disposal into the sea. The contamination of Hedges, a crucial part of the marine food chain, with Cocaine could potentially impact their growth, maturation, and fertility.
