Relationship between concentrations of human pharmaceuticals in muscle and EROD and BROD hepatic activity in fish from the inner Rio de la Plata estuary and Lower Uruguay River

ROJO, M.; CRISTOS, D.S.; GONZALEZ, P.V.; LÓPEZ ACA, V.; DOMÁNICO, A.; CARRIQUIRIBORDE, P.

Ghent

Congreso; 8th Young Environmental Scientists meeting (YES) ?From Test Results to Decision Making: Driving Environmental Policy From the Heart of Europe?; 2019

SETAC (Society of Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry)

The aim of these study was to assess the occurrence and concentrations of four human pharmaceuticals active compounds (HPhACs): atenolol (ATE), carbamazepine (CBZ), enalapril (ENA), sildenafil (SIL) in the muscle of four fish species: Prochilodus lineatus, Salminus brasiliensis, Leporinus obtusidens and Pimelodus maculatus, and assess the relationship with hepatic EROD and BROD activity. Fish were collected from two areas, one located in the southern sector of the riverine Rio de la Plata estuary (RLP) and other at the Lower Uruguay River (URU) during 2016 fall. Chemical analysis in muscle was carried out by UPLC-MS. EROD, BROD and GST activities were fluorometrically and spectrophotometrically measured in P. lineatus and P. maculatus. The limit of detection (LOD) and quantification (LOQ) of assessed HPhACs were between 0.05-3.59 µg/kg and 0.16-11.98 µg/kg, respectively. Recoveries were between 30% and 90%. Overall occurrence showed that ATE, ENA and SIL were ubiquitous. Significantly higher of total HPhACs concentration were found in Pimelodus maculatus and Salminus brasiliensis. Not significant differences were observed in fish species from URU and RLP. The highest maximum concentrations were for ATE (230.71 µg/kg) in Pimelodus maculatus followed and SIL (54.82 µg/kg) in Salminus brasiliensis. BROD and GST activities were significantly different among sites only for P. lineatus. Correlations between total pharmaceuticals concentrations and enzymatic activity were statistically significant only for GST. In addition, higher activities of the biotransformation enzymes were usually observed in fish collected in the site with greater pharmaceutical concentrations. However, highest total concentrations of compounds showed a negative correlation in reference to enzymes activity. All of the detected concentrations were above the maximum residues limits (MRL) established by the European Union for pharmaceutical in bovine muscle for the HPhAC diclofenac (10 µg/kg). Including these compounds in monitoring programs is advised. This was the first report on bioaccumulation of pharmaceuticals in fish of the ?Rio de la Plata? basin.