Antidepressants threaten sea's ecosystem

RISING levels of antidepressants in coastal waters could change sea life behaviour and potentially damage the food chain, scientists have said.

Research into the behaviour of shrimps exposed to the antidepressant fluoxetine showed that their behaviour was dramatically affected.

The shrimps are five times more likely to swim towards light instead of away from it, making them more likely to be eaten by fish or birds, researchers said.

Dr Alex Ford, from the University of Portsmouth's Institute of Marine Sciences, said: "This could seriously upset the natural balance of the ecosystem."