# Occurrence of Pharmaceuticals in the Seawater Samples of the Port of Cartagena (Murcia, Spain): A Pilot Study

## TL;DR

This study found high levels of pharmaceuticals in the waters of Cartagena's port, showing a risk to marine life due to poor wastewater management.

## Contribution

The study provides the first assessment of pharmaceutical contamination in the port of Cartagena, highlighting pollution risks in multifunctional port environments.

## Key findings

- Diclofenac and antibiotics were most frequently detected, with concentrations up to 12,294.1 ng/L.
- High pharmaceutical levels were found near areas of intense human activity and in a conservation site.
- Most detected concentrations exceeded environmental risk thresholds, indicating ecological threats.

## Abstract

The growing occurrence of emerging contaminants, particularly pharmaceutical residues, in aquatic environments represents a major environmental concern worldwide. While pharmaceutical contamination has been increasingly studied in marine systems, port environments remain largely understudied despite their complex anthropogenic pressures. This study investigates the occurrence, spatial distribution, and potential environmental risk of pharmaceutical residues in surface waters of the port of Cartagena, a multifunctional port on the Spanish Mediterranean coast. Fifteen pharmaceuticals were analysed across nine sampling sites, of which six were not detected. Diclofenac and several antibiotics (erythromycin, azithromycin, clindamycin, and trimethoprim) were the most frequently detected compounds, reaching maximum concentrations of up to 12,294.1 ng/L. Elevated concentrations were observed at sites associated with intense human activity, while the detection of multiple pharmaceuticals at a designated Special Area of Conservation suggests additional diffuse pollution sources, likely linked to insufficient wastewater management in nearby informal settlements. Most detected concentrations exceeded established environmental-quality or risk-threshold values, indicating a potential threat to marine ecosystems. These findings highlight the vulnerability of port environments to pharmaceutical pollution and underscore the need for continuous monitoring programs to support effective environmental management and biodiversity protection in coastal port areas.