Researchers at the University of Iowa have found that a
popular beef-industry growth promotant, trenbelone acetate, does not break down
in water as regulators have believed.
About 20 million U.S. cattle per year have trenbelone
acetate pellets placed in their ears.
The findings raise questions about a broader range of
pharmaceuticals that are either flushed down toilets or are in livestock and
poultry manure which erodes into waterways.
"We're finding a chemical that is broadly
utilized, to behave in a way that is different from all our existing regulatory
and risk-assessment paradigms," says David Cwiertny, assistant professor
in engineering at the University of Iowa and a co-corresponding author on the
paper published on an on-line scientific journal.
"What our work hopefully will do is help
us better understand and assess the environmental fate of emerging contaminant
classes.
“There are a variety of bioactive
pharmaceuticals and personal-care products that we know are present in trace
amounts in our water supply.
“We should use what we're learning about
trenbolone to more closely scrutinize the fate and better mitigate the impact
of these products in the environment," he said.
