I need to write something non-political.
Scientists found cocaine sharks off the coast of Brazil.
The study, titled “Cocaine Shark,” found:
•Cocaine (COC) and benzoylecgonine (BE) were detected in Brazilian Sharpnose sharks.•Muscle tissue contained higher COC concentrations compared to liver.•COC exhibited greater bioaccumulation potential compared to BE.•Muscle COC and BE differed significantly among pregnant and non-pregnant females.•This is the first COC and BE report for free-ranging sharks worldwide.
BE is the primary “metabolite of cocaine,” meaning it is the “substance formed in or necessary for metabolism.”
The liver produces the BE, and humans release it through urine. Scientists look for BE when testing for cocaine.
Marine biologists tested 13 Brazilian sharpnose sharks taken from the shores near Rio de Janeiro and found they tested for high levels of cocaine in their muscles and livers.The concentrations were as much as 100 times higher than previously reported for other aquatic creatures.The research, carried out by the Oswaldo Cruz Foundation, is the first to find the presence of cocaine in sharks.Experts believe the cocaine is making its way into the waters via illegal labs where the drug is manufactured or through excrement of drug users.Packs of cocaine lost or dumped by traffickers at sea could also be a source, though this is less likely, researchers say.
The study’s female sharks were pregnant. The scientists don’t know how cocaine will affect the baby sharks.
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