Are the pharmaceutical ingredients harmful for aquatic ecosystems?

Abstract

The scientifically researches have show that the pharmaceutical ingredients are frequently present in the environment aquatic component (surface water). For some pharmaceutical effects on aquatic organisms have been investigated in acute toxicity assays. The chronic toxicity and potential effects are least known. Whiting this context and according with REACH Regulation, the present work assessed the aquatic acute (LC50 / EC50) and chronic toxicity (the maximum allowable concentrations in water - MATC) for the 4 most abundantly used human pharmaceuticals: diclophenac, ketoprophen, indometacin and carbamazepine. The toxicity biotests were conducted on fresh water fish (Cyprinus carpio sp. – a common species from Romanian surface waters) and crustacean (Daphnia magna sp.). To comply the OECD/ISO methodology, the testing procedure have followed the biological parameters: mortality, behavior and physiological modifications (for fish); immobilization and reproduction inhibition (for crustacean); inhibition and stimulation (for luminescent bacteria). Analytical control of test solutions concentrations was performed through HPLC-UV method – ECOIND metodology.