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Environmental concentrations of pharmaceuticals directly affect phytoplankton and effects propagate through trophic interactions
- Pharmaceuticals are found in freshwater ecosystems where even low concentrations in the range of ng L−1 may affect aquatic organisms. In the current study, we investigated the effects of chronic exposure to three pharmaceuticals on two microalgae, a potential modulation of the effects by additional inorganic phosphorus (Pi) limitation, and a potential propagation of the pharmaceuticals’ effect across a trophic interaction. The latter considers that pharmaceuticals are bioaccumulated by algae, potentially metabolized into more (or less) toxic derivates and consequently consumed by zooplankton. We cultured Acutodesmus obliquus and Nannochloropsis limnetica in Pi-replete and Pi-limited medium contaminated with one of three commonly human used pharmaceuticals: fluoxetine, ibuprofen, and propranolol. Secondly, we tested to what extent first level consumers (Daphnia magna) were affected when fed with pharmaceutical-grown algae. Chronic exposure, covering 30 generations, led to (i) decreased cell numbers of A. obliquus in the presence ofPharmaceuticals are found in freshwater ecosystems where even low concentrations in the range of ng L−1 may affect aquatic organisms. In the current study, we investigated the effects of chronic exposure to three pharmaceuticals on two microalgae, a potential modulation of the effects by additional inorganic phosphorus (Pi) limitation, and a potential propagation of the pharmaceuticals’ effect across a trophic interaction. The latter considers that pharmaceuticals are bioaccumulated by algae, potentially metabolized into more (or less) toxic derivates and consequently consumed by zooplankton. We cultured Acutodesmus obliquus and Nannochloropsis limnetica in Pi-replete and Pi-limited medium contaminated with one of three commonly human used pharmaceuticals: fluoxetine, ibuprofen, and propranolol. Secondly, we tested to what extent first level consumers (Daphnia magna) were affected when fed with pharmaceutical-grown algae. Chronic exposure, covering 30 generations, led to (i) decreased cell numbers of A. obliquus in the presence of fluoxetine (under Pi-replete conditions) (ii) increased carotenoid to chlorophyll ratios in N. limnetica (under Pi-limited conditions), and (iii) increased photosynthetic yields in A. obliquus (in both Pi-conditions). In addition, ibuprofen affected both algae and their consumer: Feeding ibuprofen-contaminated algae to Pi-stressed D. magna improved their survival. We demonstrate, that even very low concentrations of pharmaceuticals present in freshwater ecosystems can significantly affect aquatic organisms when chronically exposed. Our study indicates that pharmaceutical effects can cross trophic levels and travel up the food chain.…
Author details: | Malgorzata GrzesiukORCiD, Elly SpijkermanORCiD, Sabrina C. LachmannORCiDGND, Alexander WackerORCiDGND |
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DOI: | https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecoenv.2018.03.019 |
ISSN: | 0147-6513 |
ISSN: | 1090-2414 |
Pubmed ID: | https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/29554612 |
Title of parent work (English): | Ecotoxicology and Environmental Safety |
Publisher: | Elsevier |
Place of publishing: | San Diego |
Publication type: | Article |
Language: | English |
Date of first publication: | 2018/03/20 |
Publication year: | 2018 |
Release date: | 2021/10/28 |
Tag: | Cellular phosphorus; Chronic exposure; Daphnia; Environmental risk; Fatty acids; Freshwater microalgae; Human used-drugs |
Volume: | 156 |
Number of pages: | 8 |
First page: | 271 |
Last Page: | 278 |
Funding institution: | German Research Foundation (DFG)German Research Foundation (DFG) [SP 695/5]; DFGGerman Research Foundation (DFG) [WA 2445/8-2]; National Science Centre, NCN Poland [UMO-2016/21/B/NZ8/01542] |
Organizational units: | Mathematisch-Naturwissenschaftliche Fakultät / Institut für Biochemie und Biologie |
DDC classification: | 5 Naturwissenschaften und Mathematik / 57 Biowissenschaften; Biologie / 570 Biowissenschaften; Biologie |
Peer review: | Referiert |