title: Are standard tests sensitive enough to evaluate effects of human pharmaceuticals in aquatic biota? Facing changes in research approaches when performing risk assessment of drugs.
abstract: Nowadays, the presence of pharmaceutical products in aquatic environments is not only common, but is also of significant concern regarding the adverse effect they may produce to aquatic biota. In order to determine the adverse effects of caffeine (CAF), ibuprofen (IBU), carbamazepine (CBZ) and novobiocin (NOV), at environmental occurring concentrations, standardized endpoints applied in current guidelines were evaluated in four organisms including bioluminescence response in Vibrio fischeri, growth inhibition in Isochrysis galbana (marine water) and Pseudokirchneriella subcapitata (fresh water) and fertilization and embryo-larval development in Paracentrotus lividus. To reach this aim bioassays were implemented by exposing organisms to water spiked with drugs dissolved in DMSO (0.001% v/v). Risk characterization was performed, calculating the environmental impact of drugs by calculating environmental concentration and predicted no effect concentration ratio (MEC/PNEC). Results indicate that acute toxicity was found above environmental concentrations in the order of mg L(-1) for bacteria bioluminescence, microalgae growth inhibition and sea urchin fertilization. However, teratogenicity was observed on sea urchin after exposure to environmental concentrations of drugs at 0.00001 mg L(-1); at this concentration CBZ and IBU were found to reduce significantly the embryo-larval development compared to controls (p<0.01). The risk calculated for selected drugs suggested they are harmless for aquatic environment except when applying the embryo-larval development endpoint. Endpoints applied in this study showed the necessity of using more sensitive responses, when assessing risk of pharmaceuticals in aquatic environments, since endpoints applied in current guidelines may not be suitable.
authors.affiliation: Cátedra UNESCO/UNITWIN/WiCop, Fac. Ciencias del Mar y Ambientales, Universidad de Cádiz, Polígono Rio San Pedro s/n,11510 Puerto Real, Cádiz, Spain; Andalusian Center of Marine Science and Technology (CACYTMAR), Campus Universitario de Puerto Real, 11510 Puerto Real, Cádiz, Spain.
authors.forename: G V
authors.initials: GV
authors.lastname: Aguirre-Martínez
authors.affiliation: Cátedra UNESCO/UNITWIN/WiCop, Fac. Ciencias del Mar y Ambientales, Universidad de Cádiz, Polígono Rio San Pedro s/n,11510 Puerto Real, Cádiz, Spain; Department of Applied Limnology and Marine Sciences, South Eastern Kenya University, P.O. Box 170-90200, Kitui, Kenya.
authors.forename: M A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Owuor
authors.affiliation: Andalusian Center of Marine Science and Technology (CACYTMAR), Campus Universitario de Puerto Real, 11510 Puerto Real, Cádiz, Spain.
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Garrido-Pérez
authors.affiliation: Cátedra UNESCO/UNITWIN/WiCop, Fac. Ciencias del Mar y Ambientales, Universidad de Cádiz, Polígono Rio San Pedro s/n,11510 Puerto Real, Cádiz, Spain.
authors.forename: M J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Salamanca
authors.affiliation: Cátedra UNESCO/UNITWIN/WiCop, Fac. Ciencias del Mar y Ambientales, Universidad de Cádiz, Polígono Rio San Pedro s/n,11510 Puerto Real, Cádiz, Spain.
authors.forename: T A
authors.initials: TA
authors.lastname: Del Valls
authors.affiliation: Cátedra UNESCO/UNITWIN/WiCop, Fac. Ciencias del Mar y Ambientales, Universidad de Cádiz, Polígono Rio San Pedro s/n,11510 Puerto Real, Cádiz, Spain; Andalusian Center of Marine Science and Technology (CACYTMAR), Campus Universitario de Puerto Real, 11510 Puerto Real, Cádiz, Spain. Electronic address: laura.martin@uca.es.
authors.forename: M L
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Martín-Díaz
mesh_terms: D048908:Aliivibrio fischeri / Q000187:drug effects / Q000254:growth & development; D000818:Animals; D058448:Biota / Q000187:drug effects*; D004784:Environmental Monitoring / Q000379:methods*; D058087:Haptophyta / Q000187:drug effects / Q000254:growth & development; D006801:Humans; D008163:Luminescent Measurements; D004364:Pharmaceutical Preparations / Q000032:analysis*; D018570:Risk Assessment; D012617:Sea Urchins / Q000187:drug effects / Q000254:growth & development; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D018675:Toxicity Tests / Q000379:methods*; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical / Q000032:analysis / Q000633:toxicity*
chemical_list: D004364:Pharmaceutical Preparations; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical
keywords: Acute toxicity; Bioassay; Isochrysis galbana; Paracentrotus lividus; Pseudokirchneriella subcapitata; Vibrio fischeri