title: Acute and chronic ecotoxicological effects of four pharmaceuticals drugs on cladoceran Daphnia magna.
abstract: The occurrence of pharmaceuticals in the aquatic environment has received increasing attention in recent years, as concerns have risen about their environmental persistence, biological activity and different effects toward nontarget organisms. Considering the magnitude of concentrations (ng L(-1) to mg L(-1)) and their often-specific modes of action, the assessment of physiological responses of exposed aquatic biota may provide significant information regarding the potential ecological consequences of exposure to these contaminants. The present study intended to assess the acute and chronic effects of four pharmaceuticals: acetaminophen, chlorpromazine, diclofenac sodium and propranolol in the cladoceran species Daphnia magna. Parameters such as immobility, total of offspring and rate of population increase were analyzed. Results of acute exposures showed a considerable variability of toxicity among pharmaceuticals, with the following ranking of toxicity: diclofenac (EC50 = 123.3 mg L(-1)) < propranolol (EC50 = 5.531 mg L(-1)) < acetaminophen (EC50 = 2.831 mg L(-1)) < chlorpromazine (EC50 = 1.805 mg L(-1)). The chronic toxicity data showed the exertion of reproductive adverse effects. The compounds chlorpromazine and propranolol caused a significant decrease in fecundity, and the rate of population increase parameter suffered a significant decrease from 0.33 mg L(-1) to 0.128 mg L(-1) onwards, respectively. The levels of exposure to which our test organism was acutely and chronically exposed were above those already reported in the wild. Nevertheless, the extensive production, prescription and release of pharmaceuticals drugs will continue to grow in the future, and consequently their loadings to the environment can result in potential long-term ecological risks to aquatic biota.
authors: a Post Graduate Program in Environmental Engineering Sciences, Engineering School of São Carlos, University of São Paulo , São Carlos , SP , Brazil .|b Department of Biology , University of Aveiro, Campus Universitário de Santiago , Aveiro , Portugal .
authors: Laira L Damasceno
authors: LL
authors: de Oliveira
authors: c Centre for Environmental and Marine Studies (CESAM), University of Aveiro, Campus Universitário de Santiago , Aveiro , Portugal .|d Department of Biology, Faculty of Sciences , University of Porto , Porto , Portugal , and.
authors: Sara Cristina
authors: SC
authors: Antunes
authors: b Department of Biology , University of Aveiro, Campus Universitário de Santiago , Aveiro , Portugal .|c Centre for Environmental and Marine Studies (CESAM), University of Aveiro, Campus Universitário de Santiago , Aveiro , Portugal .
authors: Fernando
authors: F
authors: Gonçalves
authors: e Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology , Federal University of São CarlosSão Carlos , SP , Brazil.
authors: Odete
authors: O
authors: Rocha
authors: b Department of Biology , University of Aveiro, Campus Universitário de Santiago , Aveiro , Portugal .|c Centre for Environmental and Marine Studies (CESAM), University of Aveiro, Campus Universitário de Santiago , Aveiro , Portugal .
authors: Bruno
authors: B
authors: Nunes
mesh_terms: D000082:Acetaminophen / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000633:toxicity; D000818:Animals; D002746:Chlorpromazine / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000633:toxicity; D003621:Daphnia / Q000187:drug effects*; D004008:Diclofenac / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000633:toxicity; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D005260:Female; D011433:Propranolol / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000633:toxicity; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D012098:Reproduction / Q000187:drug effects*; D023382:Toxicity Tests, Acute; D036401:Toxicity Tests, Chronic; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000633:toxicity*
chemical_list: D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical; D004008:Diclofenac; D000082:Acetaminophen; D011433:Propranolol; D002746:Chlorpromazine
keywords: Acetaminophen; aquatic biota; chlorpromazine; diclofenac sodium; ecotoxicity; non-target organisms; propranolol