2. Potential risks linked to the presence of pharmaceutical products in the environment

The potential risk associated with the presence of pharmaceuticals at low concentrations in aquatic environments is currently the focus of much debate. In the aquatic environment, with the exception of steroid hormones, no in situ studies are currently available to objectively assess the role of the presence of drugs on living organisms and the ecosystem. Nevertheless, on the basis of current knowledge, it cannot be ruled out that, in the long term, the continued presence of pharmaceutical molecules in aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems could be a source of danger .