N. Vattanaprateep, P. Homjaroen and T. Sirinipitakul
Abstract
Pharmaceutical pollution in water resources has become an emerging environmental concern due to the increasing use of medicines and improper disposal practices. This study aimed to investigate public awareness, pharmaceutical disposal behavior, and opinions towards management strategies for reducing pharmaceutical contamination in aquatic environments. A quantitative survey was conducted using questionnaires distributed to 400 respondents. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, including frequency, percentage, mean, and standard deviation. The results showed that public awareness of pharmaceutical pollution was at a high level (Mean = 4.32, S.D. = 0.58), with proper medicine disposal identified as the most recognized issue (Mean = 4.46). Respondents also demonstrated positive disposal behaviors (Mean = 4.42, S.D. = 0.53) and very high support for management strategies (Mean = 4.60, S.D. = 0.48). The findings emphasize the importance of environmental education, medicine take-back systems, improved wastewater treatment technologies, and stakeholder collaboration for sustainable pharmaceutical pollution management.