Ecological Risk assessment of human pharmaceuticals in aquatic ecosystems of Latin America compared with other regions of the world

PEREZ, D.E.; ROJO, M.; CARRIQUIRIBORDE, P.

Valdivia

Congreso; . SETAC Latin America 14th Biennial Meeting ?Latin America, Diversity of Knowledge for a Sustainable Future?; 2021

SETAC (Society of Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry)

Pharmaceuticals are biologically active compounds that can interact with nontarget organisms through different mechanisms. Sewage discharges are the main environmental sources of human active pharmaceutical ingredients (HAPIs). Therefore, concern exists about the potential risk on aquatic ecosystems. This study was aimed to assess the ecological risk of HAPIs for aquatic communities of Latin America comparatively with other regions of the world. According to the available information, the selected group of HAPIs for the analysis were: acetaminophen, alprazolam, lorazepam, caffeine, sertraline, fluoxetine, metformin, carbamazepine, atenolol, enalapril, sildenafil, diclofenac, ibuprofen, indomethacin, ciprofloxacin, and 17α-ethinylestradiol (EE2). HAPIs environmental concentrations were analyzed separately for the following world regions: Latin America (LA), North America (NA), Europe (EU), and Asia (AS). Biological effects were separately assessed for the following aquatic communities: algae, invertebrates, and fish. Acute and chronic effects were independently evaluated considering worst-case (maximum concentrations) and average (mean concentrations) scenarios. Risk characterizations for all HAPIs were performed calculating the risk quotients (RQ). A refined analysis using the probabilistic approach was done for EE2 and Ibuprofen, those presenting higher risk in LA and enough exposure and effect data. The exposure profile, given by the environmental concentrations, showed great variation between HAPIs among regions. Pharmaceuticals displaying higher toxicity were indomethacin and EE2 for algae and fish, respectively. The most sensitive species were Pseudokirchneriella subcapitata and Danio Rerio. Negligible risk of acute effects was estimated for all HAPIs under an average scenario, meanwhile, values >1 were found for indomethacin and EE2. Regarding the risk linked to long-term effects, values >1 were observed for indomethacin, EE2, carbamazepine, atenolol, ibuprofen, and acetaminophen. The probabilistic approach applied for EE2 and ibuprofen showed a negligible risk for lethal effects, but a substantial risk for sublethal effects. The risk associated with biomarker-like endpoints was higher than for endpoints linked to the biological performance of the organisms (i.e., condition, growth, reproduction). This study showed that HAPIs such as EE2, indomethacin, and ibuprofen could represent a risk for aquatic species in LA freshwater ecosystems.