Descriptive Assessment of the Effects of Pharmaceutical Compounds and Antibiotics in Urban Wastewater on the Environmental Microbiome in a Cold Climate: A Case Study of Urmia, Iran

In recent decades, the growing consumption of pharmaceuticals, particularly antibiotics in urban societies has emerged as a significant environmental challenge. The release of pharmaceutical compounds into the environment through municipal wastewater and the improper disposal of unused medications has led to substantial alterations in the structure and functioning of environmental microbiomes, with serious implications for ecosystem integrity and human health. This descriptive study investigates the impacts of pharmaceutical compounds and antibiotics present in urban effluents on soil and aquatic microbiomes in the city of Urmia, a cold-climate region where antibiotic consumption increases markedly during the colder seasons. In this research, antibiotic consumption patterns during the winter period and their pathways into the environment were analysed using statistical data from Urmia University of Medical Sciences, reports from the West Azerbaijan Provincial Department of Environment, and a comprehensive review of national and international scientific literature. The findings indicate that a considerable proportion of consumed antibiotics enters wastewater systems through human urine and faeces due to incomplete metabolism in the body. In addition, the inappropriate disposal of unused medications with household solid waste represents another major source of environmental contamination. The results further reveal that existing urban wastewater treatment facilities in Urmia lack sufficient capacity to completely remove these compounds, leading to the discharge of pharmaceutical residues into water bodies and soils. The presence of these substances in the environment adversely affects microbial communities by reducing microbial biodiversity, disrupting biogeochemical cycles, and promoting the development of antibiotic resistance among microbial populations. Such impacts pose a serious threat to public health and the sustainability of local ecosystems. Finally, this study proposes strategies for improving pharmaceutical consumption and disposal practices, upgrading wastewater treatment systems, and enhancing public awareness to mitigate the environmental risks associated with pharmaceutical pollution.

کلیدواژه ها:

Antibiotics ، Urban wastewater ، Environmental microbiome ، pharmaceutical pollution