Drinking water supplies around the world often contain trace amounts of pharmaceuticals and synthetic compounds that may be harmful to human health. Man-made wastewater treatment plants are not able to remove these residues. But nature can, as experiments with artificially constructed wetlands show. Sunlight and bacteria naturally degrade residues of antibiotics, anti-inflammatories, sex hormones, and other drugs and chemicals.
Sunlight and bacteria remove drugs and chemical pollutants from drinking water
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