Effects of novobiocin and methotrexate on the benthic amphipod Ampelisca brevicornis exposed to spiked sediments.
The marine amphipod Ampelisca brevicornis was used as model organism of benthic macrofauna to assess the possible adverse effects of pharmaceuticals bound to sediments. Organisms were exposed to sediment spiked with novobiocin (NOV) and methotrexate (MTX) for 10 days in order to estimate the acute toxicity (lethal effects) produced by the two compounds. The surviving organisms were pooled and analyzed to determine their sublethal responses associated with different phases of metabolism (enzyme activities in phases I and II), oxidative stress (antioxidant enzyme activities and lipid peroxidation), and genotoxicity (DNA damage in the form of strand breaks). No lethal or sublethal effects were observed in the amphipods exposed to NOV. For organisms exposed to sediments spiked with MTX the results were found to calculate the concentration that was lethal to 50% of the organisms exposed in the toxicity tests (LC50of 30.36 ng/g). MTX also induced the metabolism of enzyme detoxification activities in phases I and II. Oxidative stress and DNA damage in particular were also observed, indicating responses associated with MTX's mechanism of action. Both mortality and the set of applied biomarkers allowed for the assessment of bioavailability, oxidative stress, and genotoxicity of NOV and MTX. The information obtained in this investigation can assist in ecological risk assessment of marine sediments contaminated by pharmaceuticals.
São Paulo State University "Júlio de Mesquita Filho", Bioscience Institute. Pça. Infante D. Henrique, 11330-900, São Vicente, Brazil; Marine Sciences Institute, Federal University of Ceará, Fortaleza, 60165-081, Brazil. Electronic address: lburuaem@gmail.com.
Lucas Buruaem
LB
Moreira
São Paulo State University "Júlio de Mesquita Filho", Bioscience Institute. Pça. Infante D. Henrique, 11330-900, São Vicente, Brazil; Physical Chemistry Department, Faculty of Marine and Environmental Sciences, University of Cádiz, Puerto Real, 11510, Cádiz, Spain.
Luciane Alves
LA
Maranho
Physical Chemistry Department, Faculty of Marine and Environmental Sciences, University of Cádiz, Puerto Real, 11510, Cádiz, Spain.
Rosa María
RM
Baena-Nogueras
Physical Chemistry Department, Faculty of Marine and Environmental Sciences, University of Cádiz, Puerto Real, 11510, Cádiz, Spain.
Pablo Antonio
PA
Lara-Martín
Physical Chemistry Department, Faculty of Marine and Environmental Sciences, University of Cádiz, Puerto Real, 11510, Cádiz, Spain.
Maria Laura
ML
Martín-Díaz
D033304:Amphipoda / Q000502:physiology*; D000818:Animals; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000378:metabolism; D004249:DNA Damage; D004784:Environmental Monitoring; D019015:Geologic Sediments / Q000737:chemistry; D015227:Lipid Peroxidation / Q000187:drug effects; D008727:Methotrexate / Q000633:toxicity*; D009675:Novobiocin / Q000633:toxicity*; D018384:Oxidative Stress; D018675:Toxicity Tests; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical / Q000633:toxicity*
D015415:Biomarkers; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical; D009675:Novobiocin; D008727:Methotrexate
Benthos; Biomarker; Marine pollution; Pharmaceuticals; Sediment bioassay