Pharmaceuticals in urban streams: A review of their detection and effects in the ecosystem.

The presence of pharmaceuticals in urban freshwater has been considered an emerging issue. Although rivers are better studied, the streams crossing the cities, which are prone to higher concentrations of pharmaceuticals, and with a higher potential to affect animals, plant and human health, were never specifically addressed in a review. Thus, here we performed a literature review on the existing pharmaceutical contamination and impacts of these compounds in the urban stream ecosystems.