title: Effects of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs on cyanobacteria and algae in laboratory strains and in natural algal assemblages.
abstract: In recent years measurable concentrations of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) have been shown in the aquatic environment as a result of increasing human consumption. Effects of five frequently used non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (diclofenac, diflunisal, ibuprofen, mefenamic acid and piroxicam in 0.1 mg ml(-1) concentration) in batch cultures of cyanobacteria (Synechococcus elongatus, Microcystis aeruginosa, Cylindrospermopsis raciborskii), and eukaryotic algae (Desmodesmus communis, Haematococcus pluvialis, Cryptomonas ovata) were studied. Furthermore, the effects of the same concentrations of NSAIDs were investigated in natural algal assemblages in microcosms. According to the changes of chlorophyll-a content, unicellular cyanobacteria seemed to be more tolerant to NSAIDs than eukaryotic algae in laboratory experiments. Growth of eukaryotic algae was reduced by all drugs, the cryptomonad C. ovata was the most sensitive to NSAIDs, while the flagellated green alga H. pluvialis was more sensitive than the non-motile green alga D. communis. NSAID treatments had weaker impact in the natural assemblages dominated by cyanobacteria than in the ones dominated by eukaryotic algae, confirming the results of laboratory experiments. Diversity and number of functional groups did not change notably in cyanobacteria dominated assemblages, while they decreased significantly in eukaryotic algae dominated ones compared to controls. The results highlight that cyanobacteria (especially unicellular ones) are less sensitive to the studied, mostly hardly degradable NSAIDs, which suggest that their accumulation in water bodies may contribute to the expansion of cyanobacterial mass productions in appropriate environmental circumstances by pushing back eukaryotic algae. Thus, these contaminants require special attention during wastewater treatment and monitoring of surface waters.
authors.affiliation: University of Debrecen, Department of Hydrobiology, P.O. Box 57, 4010 Debrecen, Hungary. Electronic address: istvan.bacsi@gmail.com.
authors.forename: István
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Bácsi
authors.affiliation: Hajdú-Bihar County Government Office, Department of Environment and Conservation, Environmental Laboratory, 4025 Debrecen, Hatvan Street 16, Hungary.
authors.forename: Viktória
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: B-Béres
authors.affiliation: Hajdú-Bihar County Government Office, Department of Environment and Conservation, Environmental Laboratory, 4025 Debrecen, Hatvan Street 16, Hungary.
authors.forename: Zsuzsanna
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Kókai
authors.affiliation: University of Debrecen, Department of Botany, Division of Pharmacognosy, P.O. Box 14, 4010 Debrecen, Hungary.
authors.forename: Sándor
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Gonda
authors.affiliation: University of Debrecen, Department of Hydrobiology, P.O. Box 57, 4010 Debrecen, Hungary.
authors.forename: Zoltán
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Novák
authors.affiliation: University of Debrecen, Department of Hydrobiology, P.O. Box 57, 4010 Debrecen, Hungary.
authors.forename: Sándor Alex
authors.initials: SA
authors.lastname: Nagy
authors.affiliation: University of Debrecen, Department of Botany, Division of Pharmacognosy, P.O. Box 14, 4010 Debrecen, Hungary.
authors.forename: Gábor
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Vasas
mesh_terms: D000894:Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal / Q000494:pharmacology*; D002734:Chlorophyll / Q000378:metabolism; D000077194:Chlorophyll A; D000460:Chlorophyta / Q000187:drug effects*; D000458:Cyanobacteria / Q000187:drug effects*; D006801:Humans; D014873:Water Pollutants / Q000494:pharmacology
chemical_list: D000894:Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal; D014873:Water Pollutants; D002734:Chlorophyll; D000077194:Chlorophyll A
keywords: Algae; Cyanobacteria; Laboratory strains; NSAID; Natural assemblages