Pharmaceutical cocktail: uncovering the impacts of drug mixtures on the threatened European eel

Aquatic ecosystems are crucial for global biodiversity and human livelihoods, yet they are increasingly threatened by pharmaceutical pollution. One species that is particularly vulnerable to the effects of drugs is the European eel (Anguilla anguilla).

Our pilot data show that wild eels are often exposed to multiple drugs but no research to date has investigated how their behaviour and migration may be affected by these potentially dangerous drug combinations.

This knowledge gap is a critical impediment to our efforts to protect this economically important, yet critically endangered species, and to restore the health of the ecosystems they inhabit.

In this project, we will combine controlled laboratory experiments with state-of-the-art field tracking approaches to elucidate how the behaviour of juvenile and non-mature adults, and early migration of adults, is impacted by the single and combined effects of two common pharmaceutical pollutants, which are known to dangerously interact in humans.

This multifaceted approach is only possible due to recent technological innovations in animal tracking that allow for investigations at a greater resolution and scale than ever before.

This project will yield valuable new insights into the impacts of dangerous drug cocktails on eels and other aquatic wildlife, greatly advancing our understanding of this important issue and enhancing our ability to conserve aquatic environments, and their ecological and societal value, worldwide.