Antidepressant found in shark brains off Brazil's coast

Researchers have detected the antidepressant sertraline in the brain tissue of hammerhead sharks off the coast of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. This discovery is attributed to the incomplete removal of pharmaceuticals from wastewater, which is then discharged into the Atlantic Ocean. The drug's lipid-soluble nature allows it to accumulate in fatty tissues, including neural tissue, raising concerns about potential behavioral effects on marine life, though direct impacts on sharks are not yet understood. AI

RANK_REASON Research findings on environmental contamination of marine life. [lever_c_demoted from research: ic=1 ai=0.1]

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• Atlantic Ocean
• Brazil
• Carlos Chagas Filho Biophysics Institute
• EcoShark Project
• Federal University of Rio de Janeiro
• hammerhead sharks
• National Sanitation Information System
• Rio de Janeiro
• sertraline
• The Conversation

• other

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