Abstract

Residues of pharmaceuticals are ubiquitous in the environment, due to the increased use of drugs for treating humans and animals. If in agriculture water or biosolids from sewage treatment plants or manure from treated animals are used for irrigation or as a fertilizer respectively, drug residues may come into contact with plants. Subsequently these substances may be taken up, be translocated and even metabolized within the plant. The present paper reviews the literature on the metabolization of drugs for human and for veterinary use by plants after uptake from water or soil. Papers published between the years 2012–2018 have been included in this overview. Besides discussion on the outcome of the reviewed studies, two tables giving a comprehensive overview of drug related metabolites detected in plants or plant cell systems are provided. Finally trends and potential further developments within this field on the interface of food and environmental analysis are discussed.