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- Title
The link between pharmaceuticals and cyanobacteria: a review regarding ecotoxicological, ecological, and sanitary aspects.
- Authors
dos Santos Costa, Rafaela; Quadra, Gabrielle Rabelo; de Oliveira Souza, Helena; do Amaral, Viviane Souza; Navoni, Julio Alejandro
- Abstract
Cyanobacteria are important for ecosystem functioning, but eutrophication may affect the surrounding biome by losing ecosystem services and/or through affecting the cyanotoxins production that threatens ecological and human health. Pollution is an environmental issue that affects aquatic ecosystems worldwide, and the knowledge of the role of synthetic chemicals such as pharmaceuticals is still scarce. Therefore, studies coupling these two relevant issues are essential to better understand the ecological risks and the potential threats to public health. Thus, an overview of ecotoxicological tests performed in the literature exposing cyanobacteria to pharmaceuticals and the possible consequences regarding ecological and sanitary aspects was conducted. Moreover, a risk assessment was performed to enable a better understanding of pharmaceuticals affecting cyanobacteria ecology. Most of the studies found in the literature tested isolated pharmaceuticals in laboratory conditions, while others assessed mixture effects on in situ conditions. The endpoints most assessed were growth, photosynthesis, and antioxidant enzyme activity. The studies also point out that cyanobacteria may present resistance or sensitivity depending on the concentrations and the therapeutic class, which may cause a change in the ecosystem dynamics and/or sanitary implications due to cyanotoxin production. The risk assessment highlighted that antibiotics are among the most relevant substances due to the chemical diversity and higher levels found in the environment than other therapeutic classes. This review highlighted gaps regarding cyanotoxin release into aquatic environments due to the occurrence of pharmaceuticals and the need for more realistic experiments to better understand the potential consequences for human and environmental health.
- Subjects
CYANOBACTERIA; ENVIRONMENTAL health; ECOSYSTEM dynamics; ECOLOGICAL disturbances; ENCHYTRAEIDAE; DRUGS
- Publication
Environmental Science & Pollution Research, 2021, Vol 28, Issue 31, p41638
- ISSN
0944-1344
- Publication type
Article
- DOI
10.1007/s11356-021-14698-5