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Scientists have confirmed that sharks off the coast of Brazil have been exposed to cocaine, marking the first such finding in free-range sharks. As Sky News reports, researchers from the Oswaldo Cruz Foundation tested 13 wild Brazilian sharpnose sharks, which were procured from small fishing vessels. This species, which lives in coastal waters, was chosen due to its likely exposure to ocean pollution.
The study involved analyzing muscle and liver tissues of the sharks using liquid chromatography with tandem mass spectrometry, a technique for separating and detecting molecules. All 13 sharks tested positive for cocaine and its primary metabolite, benzoylecgonine. The cocaine levels detected were up to 100 times higher than those found in other aquatic animals.
This research highlights the potential impacts of drug pollution on marine life, though the full effects of cocaine on aquatic ecosystems remain unclear. The study underscores the need for further investigation into the environmental consequences of drug contamination.
[Information sourced from Sky News]
