Pharma‐ecology aims at studying and minimizing the impact of pharmaceutical and personal care products (PPCPs) on the environment. Personal care products broadly include a number of compounds used in our daily lives ranging from soaps, detergents, perfumes, aftershaves, cleaning agents, disinfectants, sprays, deodorants, and similar products. PPCPs are designed to target our individual ailments, a usage that may inadvertently disregard their effects on the ecosystem. Initial interest in these compounds on nontarget organisms in the environment was expressed in 1965 by E. Stumm‐Zollinger and G.M. Fair. However, their concerns about PPCPs went unnoticed until a review by M.I. Richardson and J.M. Bowron was published two decades later. Since then, an exponential number of studies reported the presence of these compounds in the environment, with most reports focusing on the presence of these compounds in various matrices. The first edition published 10 years ago brought some understanding, minimizing the impact of PPCPs on the environment. This edition has incorporated recent advances in this area since the first edition was published. The occurrence and fate of these compounds in the environment is dynamically changing, and the impact of these compounds is undergoing a lot of scrutiny. The second edition updates the readership about this important subject and pursues the continued need to bridge the gap between medicine/public health and environmental science. Each chapter is introduced with key learning objective and ends with a set of review (often) open‐ended questions. The latter engages readers about the presented information in each chapter. Both of these additions will be very beneficial for individuals interested in a deeper understanding of pharma‐ecology and research opportunities. Those aspirations are helped by an extensive set of key references provided in each chapter.

Chapter 1 introduces the intertwined relationship between our health and the ecosystem. From a historical perspective, it draws interesting parallels between extensive use of agrochemicals (i.e. pesticides, herbicides, fungicides, and fertilizers) under the Green Revolution and increased dependency on PPCPs in relation to environmental degradation. It highlights important differences in PPCP usage between countries and regions. Chapter 2 delves into a detailed analysis of the most highly prescribed pharmaceuticals notably antihypertensive, sedatives, and analgesics that have consistently contributed more than 50% of all prescriptions in the United States and other developed countries. Chapter 3 focuses on the use of antimicrobial agents. Current usage varies between countries indicating differences in patient expectations, attitudes, marketing, and physician practices. Antimicrobial modes of action are examined, and elements of antibiotic resistance presented. Chapter 4 details the usage of other pharmaceuticals that are individually rarely prescribed but equally important in public health. Their modes of action, bioavailability, and implications for the environment are discussed. Chapter 5 is devoted to personal care products including fragrances and musks, detergents, and disinfectants. The occurrence and detection of PPCPs in the environment is explored in Chapter 6. This chapter is not intended to be a catalog of detection methods and related instrumentation as analytical methods tend to be compound specific. Rather, it summarizes the most important methods such as GC‐MS and LC‐MS to help the reader understand the advantages and disadvantages of each method, highlighting the general challenges of detecting these chemicals. Related to these analytical methods and challenges, readers are also guided on how to distinguish high quality data from less rigorous monitoring information. Chapter 7 introduces the principles of pharmacology notably pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics designed for deciphering interactions between drugs and living systems and applies them to analyzing the fate of PPCPs in the environment. Ecotoxicity of PPCPs on simple and more complex nontarget organisms using advanced risk assessment approaches is explored in Chapter 8. Chapter 9 focuses on technologies for removing or reducing the impact of PPCPs in the environment. There is a growing interest in this subject in emerging economies including Brazil, South Africa, China, and India as well as well‐established European economies in developing regulatory guidelines. The last chapter presents ideas about designing a regulatory framework for limiting emission of PPCPs in the environment, building a more consistent cradle‐to‐grave approach that appeals to multiple disciplines and stakeholders.

PPCPs are an important and indeed indispensable part of our individual well‐being. To that effect, medical professionals are trained to primarily minimize or eliminate our pain and suffering from disease. The book attempts to bridge some of the gaps facilitated by our individualized usage of PPCPs and potential ecotoxicological implications. It is intended for students and scholars in toxicology, ecology, microbiology (mostly environmental), chemistry (including medical chemists), agriculture, and healthcare delivery (i.e. public health, nursing, pharmacy, veterinarians, and physicians) as well as policy makers. Environmentally conscious members of the general public will also find some parts of the book informative. Considering the range of these seemingly fragmented disciplines, individual readers may be dissatisfied with the level of coverage of one aspect or another, particularly aspects that directly relate to their respective discipline. However, it is my sincere hope that such dissatisfaction can be used to inform stakeholders in other fields, a trend that will truly serve the purpose of advancing this subject.

This edition came to fruition with a lot of patience and technical editorial support for Jonathan Rose, Aruna Pragasam, and Grace Paulin (Wiley Publishing). Dr. Emmanuel F. Ashong, MD graciously provided valuable suggestions about clinical usage of pharmaceuticals and related endpoints. I acknowledge the support and encouragement from my wife, Enid, daughter, Patricia, and sons, Daniel and Eric while writing this book. It is dedicated to my parents Daniel (deceased) and Racheal Kayondo as well as my uncle Bethel Mulondo (deceased) for their love and sacrifices to ensure that we get a decent education.