Abstract

Due to the high use of antibiotics and antiparasitics for the treatment of livestock, there is concern about the potential impacts of the release of these compounds into freshwater ecosystems. In this context, the present study quantified the acute toxicity of two antibiotics (sulfadiazine and sulfadimidine), and three antiparasitic agents (flubendazole, fenbendazole, ivermectin) for nine freshwater invertebrate species. These experiments revealed a low degree of toxicity for the sulfonamide antibiotics, with limited implications in the survival of all test species at the highest test concentrations (50 and 100 mg/L). In contrast, all three antiparasitic agents indicated on the basis of their acute toxicity risks for the aquatic environment. Moreover, chronic toxicity data from the literature for antiparasitics, including effects on reproduction in daphnids, support the concern about the integrity of aquatic ecosystems posed by releases of these compounds. Thus, these pharmaceuticals warrant further careful consideration by environmental risk managers.

Keywords

Sulfonamide antibiotics; Benzimidazole anthelmintics; Ivermectin; Antiparasitics; Predicted no effect concentration; Predicted environmental concentration

Published in

Bulletin of Environmental Contamination and Toxicology
2016, Volume: 96, number: 2, pages: 139-143
Publisher: SPRINGER

SLU Authors

• Bundschuh, Mirco

  • Department of Aquatic Sciences and Assessment, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences
    
  • University of Koblenz-Landau

Sustainable Development Goals

SDG6 Ensure availability and sustainable management of water and sanitation for all
SDG14 Conserve and sustainably use the oceans, seas and marine resources for sustainable development


UKÄ Subject classification

Other Natural Sciences not elsewhere specified


Publication identifier

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00128-015-1656-8

Permanent link to this page (URI)

https://res.slu.se/id/publ/80855