The nematode Caenorhabditis elegans has been useful as an effective model system for predicting human physiological response and it has been utilized extensively in the pharmaceutical industry. C. elegans shares a similar genome to humans and its genome has been fully sequenced. A myriad of pharmaceutical compounds have been detected in the water supply, mostly products of human waste or due to the disposal of outdated pharmaceuticals, prompting concern over their potential physiological and environmental impact. These potential negative effects were studied by exposing C. elegans to both treated and untreated water samples with particular emphasis on mutagenic effects.

A sample from a local elementary school was taken, along with a sample from Western Illinois University’s Quad City campus. A sample of untreated water was also taken from the Mississippi River. C. elegans was exposed to the water samples and phenotypic characterization of the potential mutagenic changes was ascertained. The results of the C. elegans model were then compared to the Ames test using statistical analysis to fully determine the presence or absence of mutagenic factors.

In addition to furthering the fund of knowledge on C. elegans as a species, using C. elegans as a model system helps to elucidate an accurate picture of the type and impact of pharmaceutical pollution. It also provides insight into the nature of the ramifications of such pollution. As these consequences are revealed, preventative measures can be utilized to reverse or minimize any negative impact on affected populations of organisms.