Cocaine use causes over-stimulation in Thames eels Londoners

What the King's College research team says

The high concentration of cocaine in the city's liquid waste causes overstimulation in the Thames eels, according to scientists.   

A research team from King's College London claims that Londoners use the drug throughout the week.   

At the same time, scientists fear that this will harm the river fauna.   

"Concentrations of cocaine and benzoylecgonin remained high in the sewage throughout the week with a slight increase over the weekend, a finding that is not in line with those of other cities," the researchers said in their paper.   

Scientists who installed a control system near the two Houses of Parliament have discovered that a steadily low level of cocaine enters the river. London water treatment plants are unable to filter the substance while rainfall overflows the facilities bringing sewage into the river.   

"Increases in caffeine, cocaine and benzoylegonine were observed 24 hours after sewer overflows," the researchers said.   

Scientists claim that fish exposed to cocaine are overstimulated compared to those kept in clear water.   

After exposing fish to water that contained a small amount of the drug, they discovered that cocaine accumulates in various parts of the body, such as the brain and gills.   

At the same time, they noticed that the skeletal muscles are also affected, with the effect lasting up to ten days after the removal of the fish from the contaminated waters.  

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