A group of scientists has detected, for the first time in the world, poisoned sharks con cocaine in Brazil, as published by the Oswaldo Cruz Foundation (Fiocruz), an organization linked to the Ministry of Health. This Study has been published in the magazine Science of Total Environment, which has identified the presence of cocaine in thirteen sharks of the species Rhizoprionodon lalandii, known as Brazilian sharpnose dogfish.
Las samples from the research were collected in the neighborhood of Bandeirantes Recreation Area, in the West Zone from the city of Ro de Janeiro, in between September 2021 and August 2023, framed within a project to accompany possible changes in marine life, whether natural or by human action. The substance has been detected in all thirteen specimens, and even in twelve of them Have been found benzoilecgoninathe main metabolite of cocaine.
Researchers have taken samples of muscle and liver tissue
He The result is impressive, says pharmacist Enrico Mendes, one of the authors of the study, along with biologist Rachel Ann Hauser-Davis. Both are members of the Environmental Health Assessment and Promotion Laboratory at Fiocruz. To reach this conclusion, enter the conclusion have analyzed muscle tissue e liver of the thirteen sharks, of which are three males and ten females.
Previous studies had detected cocaine in mussels
In Brazil, there are studies that They had already detected cocaine in water and in some aquatic beings, such as mussels. Our analysis is the first to find the substance in sharks, explains Mendes. The main cause of this poisoningaccording to researchers, is due to the overexposure to the large number of cocaine that is poured into the sewers from Ro de Janeiro.
Another find It is surprising to have found a higher concentration of cocaine in the muscles than in the liver of these animals, which indicates the abundant presence of cocaine in the marine environment from Rio. Sharks are being poisoned in various ways, either by living in the region or by feeding on other contaminated animals, says the pharmacist.
This may have consequences for the growth of sharks.
Ann Hauser-Davis says that the Brazilian sharpnose dogfish is a non-migratory species that lives near the coast, so he was probably poisoned in that area west of Rio, the most inhabited and the fastest growing in the city, with almost three million inhabitants, according to the last census. It is believed that there may be an impact on the growth, maturation and potentially, the fertility of the sharks, since the liver acts in the development of embryos, the researcher warns.
As for the potential impacts on human health, Researchers believe that they are minimum, Well, contact with water is sporadic and is not used for feeding or drinking. Ann Hauser-Davis recalls that many times It is type of sharks is sold irregularly in the markets, Therefore further studies would be needed to answer this question.
Brazil is one of the world’s largest consumers of cocaine
Los Researchers advance what They intend to collect and analyze samples of water and other animals, coming from that area and from other regions off the coast of Rio de Janeiro, to see how far this phenomenon reaches. The most recent global report from the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime places Brazil as one of the world’s largest consumers of cocaine. This country is also one of the main exit routes to other countries such as Colombia, Peru and Bolivia.
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