High Traces Of Viagra, Other Drugs Found In South Korea's Seoul Sewers, Shows Research

The presence of the chemicals used in the drugs -- Phosphodiesterase-5 inhibitors (PDE-51) -- were high on weekends and in sewage treatment facilities in Gangnam, a new research showed.

High traces of Viagra and other drugs used to treat erectile dysfunction were found in Seoul's wastewaters, and their presence in the urban area is expected to increase, South Korean researchers say. The presence of the chemicals used in the drugs -- Phosphodiesterase-5 inhibitors (PDE-51) -- were high on weekends and in sewage treatment facilities in Gangnam, which is home to nightclubs, bars and red-light spots, a new research showed. "We estimated that the amount of PDE-5i consumption was 31 percent higher than in areas with fewer nightlife spots," the researchers said in the research paper carried by the Scientific Reports earlier this month. Experts studied the presence of the chemicals in the influent and effluent of two sewage treatment plants (STPs) in the South Korean capital as well as the receiving water bodies.