Sustainable Development Goals

Goal 6 focuses on ensuring a sustainable and safe water supply for everyone, as well as providing proper sanitation. 2.2 billion people still lack access to safe and sustainably managed water sources ^[2]. With current estimates placing the world population at 8.2 billion people ^[3], this means more than a quarter of the world population is dealing with water insecurity.

Austria, with its abundant freshwater resources and 96% of households connected to sewer systems ^[3], hardly serves as an example for the hardship described above, but still provides useful insights into shortcomings of the current state of the art of wastewater treatment, which will soon need addressing.

Goal 11 focuses on the inclusiveness, safety and resilience of cities. While it mostly targets the increasing prevalence of slums and lack of access to public transportation, it also includes pollution. Given that cities with their large population densities also come with a large amount of wastewater, removing micro-pollutants at urban treatment plants could yield promising results.

Our project specifically contributes to Target 11.6:
“By 2030, reduce the adverse per capita environmental impact of cities, including by paying special attention to air quality and municipal and other waste management”

Goal 14 focuses on the protection and conservation of oceans, seas, and other marine resources. Given that ibuprofen has toxic effects on multiple aquatic animals with a tendency towards accumulation ^[7], it is vital to address this threat to aquatic ecosystems. Our project contributes towards target 14.1:

“By 2025, prevent and significantly reduce marine pollution of all kinds, in particular from land-based activities, including marine debris and nutrient pollution”

NSAIDs are not only toxic to aquatic organisms. When introduced into a food chain, they can lead to severe effects on other wildlife.

A cautionary case

During the 1990s, a decline in the Indian vulture population was becoming apparent. By 2002, the total population had declined by over 95%. After various possible causes, such as pesticide exposure or industrial pollution were ruled out, it was found that diclofenac had been the culprit.^[8] Since the main food source for vultures in the area was dead livestock, and as diclofenac was widely used to treat various ailments of livestock, vultures were exposed to high concentrations leading to kidney failure.^[8]

Given that various similar NSAIDs are toxic to other bird species ^[9], some of them represented in Austrian ecosystems and predators to various aquatic species, such as storks, adverse effects on various bird populations due to existing levels of aquatic NSAID pollution does seem likely.

Our project supports goal 15, which aims to “protect, restore, and promote sustainable use of terrestrial ecosystems”^[1], particularly target 15.5:

“Take urgent and significant action to reduce the degradation of natural habitats, halt the loss of biodiversity and, by 2020, protect and prevent the extinction of threatened species”