Even though the occurrence of pharmaceuticals in the water environment is thought to be a potential problem for human health and aquatic organisms, the level of knowledge of their sources and ...presence in the marine ecosystem is still insufficient. Therefore, this study was designed to determine the emergence of sixteen pharmaceuticals and caffeine in groundwater, submarine groundwater discharge (SGD), rivers and coastal seawater in the southern Baltic Sea. It has been recognized that chemical substances load associated with SGD can affect coastal ecosystems equally or even greater than surface runoff. Hence, the Bay of Puck, which is an active groundwater discharge area, has been chosen as a model study site to assess the preliminary risk of pharmaceutical and caffeine residues supply in coastal ecosystem. A special focus was placed on tracing the possible sources of pollution for groundwater and SGD based on the composition of collected samples. Five pharmaceuticals (carbamazepine, sulfapyridine, sulfamethoxazole, ketoprofen and diclofenac) and caffeine were detected in varying concentrations from below the detection limit to 1528.2 ng L−1. Caffeine and diclofenac were the most widespread compounds. Groundwater was mostly enriched in the analysed compounds and consequently SGD has been recognized as an important source of identified pharmaceutical and caffeine residues to the Bay of Puck. A predicted no-effect concentration (PNEC) was determined in order to perform an environmental risk assessment of five pharmaceuticals and caffeine detected in water samples. Finally, future challenges and potential amendments in monitoring strategies are discussed.
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•Groundwater, SGD, seawater and river water samples were collected.•16 pharmaceutical and caffeine residues were analysed in all (61) collected samples.•3 of 17 measured residues were quantified in at least 7 samples.•Among all residues, caffeine and diclofenac, were the most widespread.•SGD is an important source of pharmaceutical and caffeine residues to the Bay of Puck.
Antibiotic residues have been commonly detected worldwide in freshwater, estuarine, and marine ecosystems. The review summarizes the up-to-date information about the toxic effects of over 60 ...antibiotics on nontarget autotrophic microorganisms with a particular focus on marine microalgae. A comprehensive overview of the available reports led to the identification of significant knowledge gaps. The data on just one species of freshwater green algae (
) constitute 60% of the total information on the toxicity of antibiotics, while data on marine species account for less than 14% of the reports. Moreover, there is a clear knowledge gap regarding the chronic effects of antibiotic exposure (only 9% of studies represent exposition time values longer than 7 days). The review summarizes the information on different physiological endpoints, including processes involved in photosynthesis, photoprotective and antioxidant mechanisms. Currently, the hazard assessment is mostly based on the results of the evaluation of individual chemicals and acute toxicity tests of freshwater organisms. Future research trends should involve chronic effect studies incorporating sensitive endpoints with the application of environmentally relevant concentrations, as well as studies on the mixture effects and combined environmental factors influencing toxicity.
•Sulfamethoxazole and sulfapyridine are the most toxic to C. vulgaris.•Trimethoprim is the least toxic pharmaceutical to selected organism.•Toxicities were negatively correlated with increasing ...salinities.•The effects of tested drugs towards algae are caused by specific mode of action.
This paper presents the investigation of the influence of salinity variations on the toxicity of sulfapyridine, sulfamethoxazole, sulfadimethoxine and trimethoprim towards the green algae Chlorella vulgaris after exposure times of 48 and 72h. In freshwater the EC50 values ranged from 0.98 to 123.22mgL−1 depending on the compound. The obtained results revealed that sulfamethoxazole and sulfapyridine were the most toxic, while trimethoprim was the least toxic pharmaceutical to the selected organism. Deviations between the nominal and real test concentrations were determined via instrumental analysis to support the interpretation of ecotoxicological data. The toxicity effects were also tested in saline water (3, 6 and 9PSU). The tendency that the toxicity of selected pharmaceuticals decreases with increasing salinity was observed. Higher salinity implies an elevated concentration of inorganic monovalent cations that are capable of binding with countercharges available on algal surfaces (hydroxyl functional groups). Hence it can reduce the permeability of pharmaceuticals through the algal cell walls, which could be the probable reason for the observed effect. Moreover, for the classification of the mode of toxic action, the toxic ratio concept was applied, which indicated that the effects of the investigated drugs towards algae are caused by the specific mode of toxic action.
•Oxytetracycline affects non-target organisms•Oxytetracycline can impact cyanobacteria and microalgae•Presentation of a possible mode of action of oxytetracycline on non-target ...organisms•Implementation of prolonged standard toxicity tests required
The study aimed at measuring the influence of a wide range of oxytetracycline concentrations, with particular attention to the low levels of the antibiotic on cyanobacteria Microcystis aeruginosa and Nodularia spumigena, diatom Phaeodactylum tricornutum and the model green algae Chlorella vulgaris by conducting prolonged toxicity tests (lasting 10 days). Standard measurements (cell number, optical density, chlorophyll a concentration) were combined with photosynthetic parameters measurements. The obtained results show that concentrations of oxytetracycline present in the environment can affect tested microorganisms. It was found to decrease photosystem II efficiency and disrupt the photosynthesis process. A careful interpretation of photosynthetic parameters allowed a better understanding of the mode of action of oxytetracycline in relation to non-target photoautotrophic organisms like cyanobacteria and microalgae. In conclusion, it would appear that the use of standard chronic toxicity tests (72 h) does not allow to accurately and reliably assess the chronic impact of bioactive compounds including drugs and their metabolites on water organisms. On this basis, we recommend the application of extended duration tests.
The retention of heavy metal (HM) was studied in root and rhizomes (BLG), stems (ST), and leaves (LF) of
Phragmites australis
(common reed) seedlings collected from different locations, differing in ...the scale of anthropogenic interference. The analysis includes the reference samples of sediments in uncontaminated lake Garczonki and contaminated roadside ditch in Cieplewo. The concentrations of Zn, Cu, Pb, Cd, Ni, and Cr were analyzed in plant tissues and sediments using the atomic absorption spectrometry and inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry. The general assessment of sediments collected in the Garczonki lake showed a good environmental status; while in the roadside ditch in Cieplewo, the sediments were considerably polluted with HM. In the first stage of plant growth, all of the analyzed HMs are mainly inhibited by BLG system. The decreasing trend of elements was as follows: BLG > ST > LF. The organs followed different decreasing trends of HM concentration; the trend Zn > Cu > Ni > Cr > Pb > Cd was found in ST and LF for the Garczonki lake seedlings and for BLG and LF for the roadside ditch in Cieplewo seedlings. Zn showed the highest concentration, while Cd the lowest concentration in each of the examined organs. The bioaccumulation factor indicated the higher mobility of HM in seedlings in the Garczonki lake than in the roadside ditch in Cieplewo. The morphological studies suggest the good state and health of seedling from both sites; however, the reduction of root hair surface was observed for the roadside ditch seedlings. The anatomical studies present changes in the size of the nucleus and count of chloroplasts in LF. No reaction on HM contamination sediments in the seedlings from the roadside ditch in Cieplewo in the aerenchyma was noted. Potentially, both types of seedlings can be used to decontaminate environments rich in HM. However, the level of HM absorbed by seedlings (in the first stage of growth) should be considered due to the behavior in the target phytoremediation site.
Linear alkylbenzene sulfonate (LAS) is a group of anionic surfactants employed in the formulation of laundry and cleaning products, with a global production rate of 4 million metric tons. Sediments ...from the Polish coast of the southern Baltic Sea were collected at ten stations. Total LAS concentrations, measured by high-performance liquid chromatography, were between 0.04 and 0.72 mg LAS·kg
−1
dry weight. Highest LAS concentrations were found in suspended matter collected from the Vistula River, sediment collected close to the Vistula River mouth and from the Gdańsk Deep, known as the depositional area. With the obtained environmental LAS concentrations, a risk assessment for this surfactant has been carried out, based on publicly available acute and chronic toxicity data in target organisms. The results indicated that LAS could pose a low risk for the existing benthic community applying worst case scenario assessment. This is the first time that levels of LAS have been measured in environmental samples of the southern Baltic Sea.
The main objective of this study was to adapt analytical procedures for determining antibiotic residues in solid and aquatic samples to marine sediments and to investigate the occurrence of 9 ...sulfonamides, trimethoprim and 2 quinolones in southern Baltic Sea sediments. The analytical procedure was applied to sediment samples characterized as sand and silty sand. The validation results showed that a sensitive and efficient method applying tandem solid-phase extraction (SPE) and liquid chromatography coupled with tandem mass spectrometry (LC–MS/MS) was obtained. Analytes were determined in the lower ngg−1 range with good accuracy and precision. The proposed analytical procedure was applied to the analysis of 13 sediment samples collected from the Baltic Sea along the Polish coast. Concentrations of antibiotic residues in environmental samples were calculated based on external matrix-matched calibration. Residues of nine out of twelve of the above antibiotics were detected in sediment samples in a concentrations of up to 419.2ngg−1 d.w. (dry weight). Sulfamethoxazole and sulfachloropyridazine were the most frequently detected compounds (58% of the analyzed samples). The occurrence frequency of trimethoprim was 42% and it was always detected simultaneously with sulfamethoxazole. Preliminary studies on the spatial distribution of the analyzed antibiotics indicate a high level of antibiotics occurring in the Pomeranian Bay and close to the mouths of Polish rivers. The study is the first one to demonstrate the occurrence of antibiotic residues in sediments of the Polish coastal area. The obtained results suggest that sediment can be an important secondary source of antibiotic residues in the marine environment.
Knowledge of contaminant distribution is important, particularly in the vulnerable first results about the occurrence of seventeen polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins and polychlorinated dibenzofurans ...and twelve dioxin-like polychlorinated biphenyls in arctic fjord seawater are reported. The contaminants were measured in 10 samples of suspended particulate matter collected in Hornsund (Svalbard). The ∑PCDD/F and ∑dl-PCB concentrations ranged from 0.066 to 231.47 pg/L and from 2.43 to 46.43 pg/L respectively. In terms of total PCDD/Fs, in general highly chlorinated PCDFs constituted the most significant fraction. Among dl-PCB compounds, PCB118 was the dominant congener. The toxicity equivalent for the samples ranged from 0.0008 to 1.90 pg I-TEQ/L for ∑PCDD/Fs, while for ∑dl-PCB it ranged from 0.0002 to 0.024 pg WHO05-TEQ/L. High concentrations of dioxins and dl-PCBs in some samples indicated that those contaminants could pose a threat to marine biota.
•Persistent toxic substances were examined in SPM from an Arctic fjord – Hornsund.•6 PCDDs, 10 PCDFs and 12 dl-PCBs were detected in SPM samples.•The ∑PCDD/F concentrations ranged from 0.066 to 231.47 pg/L.•The ∑dl-PCB concentrations ranged from 2.43 to 46.43 pg/L.•In all SPM the most toxic dioxin isomer - TeCDD - was below LOQ.
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