TY - JOUR
T1 - Toxicity prediction and effect characterization of 90 pharmaceuticals and illicit drugs measured in plasma of fish from a major European river (Sava, Croatia)
AU - Malev, Olga
AU - Lovrić, Mario
AU - Stipaničev, Draženka
AU - Repec, Siniša
AU - Martinović-Weigelt, Dalma
AU - Zanella, Davor
AU - Ivanković, Tomislav
AU - Sindičić Đuretec, Valnea
AU - Barišić, Josip
AU - Li, Mei
AU - Klobučar, Göran
PY - 2020/11
Y1 - 2020/11
N2 - Chemical analysis of plasma samples of wild fish from the Sava River (Croatia) revealed the presence of 90 different pharmaceuticals/illicit drugs and their metabolites (PhACs/IDrgs). The concentrations of these PhACs/IDrgs in plasma were 10 to 1000 times higher than their concentrations in river water. Antibiotics, allergy/cold medications and analgesics were categories with the highest plasma concentrations. Fifty PhACs/IDrgs were identified as chemicals of concern based on the fish plasma model (FPM) effect ratios (ER) and their potential to activate evolutionary conserved biological targets. Chemicals of concern were also prioritized by calculating exposure-activity ratios (EARs) where plasma concentrations of chemicals were compared to their bioactivities in comprehensive ToxCast suite of in vitro assays. Overall, the applied prioritization methods indicated stimulants (nicotine, cotinine) and allergy/cold medications (prednisolone, dexamethasone) as having the highest potential biological impact on fish. The FPM model pointed to psychoactive substances (hallucinogens/stimulants and opioids) and psychotropic substances in the cannabinoids category (i.e. CBD and THC). EAR confirmed above and singled out additional chemicals of concern - anticholesteremic simvastatin and antiepileptic haloperidol. Present study demonstrates how the use of a combination of chemical analyses, and bio-effects based risk predictions with multiple criteria can help identify priority contaminants in freshwaters. The results reveal a widespread exposure of fish to complex mixtures of PhACs/IDrgs, which may target common molecular targets. While many of the prioritized chemicals occurred at low concentrations, their adverse effect on aquatic communities, due to continuous chronic exposure and additive effects, should not be neglected.
AB - Chemical analysis of plasma samples of wild fish from the Sava River (Croatia) revealed the presence of 90 different pharmaceuticals/illicit drugs and their metabolites (PhACs/IDrgs). The concentrations of these PhACs/IDrgs in plasma were 10 to 1000 times higher than their concentrations in river water. Antibiotics, allergy/cold medications and analgesics were categories with the highest plasma concentrations. Fifty PhACs/IDrgs were identified as chemicals of concern based on the fish plasma model (FPM) effect ratios (ER) and their potential to activate evolutionary conserved biological targets. Chemicals of concern were also prioritized by calculating exposure-activity ratios (EARs) where plasma concentrations of chemicals were compared to their bioactivities in comprehensive ToxCast suite of in vitro assays. Overall, the applied prioritization methods indicated stimulants (nicotine, cotinine) and allergy/cold medications (prednisolone, dexamethasone) as having the highest potential biological impact on fish. The FPM model pointed to psychoactive substances (hallucinogens/stimulants and opioids) and psychotropic substances in the cannabinoids category (i.e. CBD and THC). EAR confirmed above and singled out additional chemicals of concern - anticholesteremic simvastatin and antiepileptic haloperidol. Present study demonstrates how the use of a combination of chemical analyses, and bio-effects based risk predictions with multiple criteria can help identify priority contaminants in freshwaters. The results reveal a widespread exposure of fish to complex mixtures of PhACs/IDrgs, which may target common molecular targets. While many of the prioritized chemicals occurred at low concentrations, their adverse effect on aquatic communities, due to continuous chronic exposure and additive effects, should not be neglected.
KW - Fish plasma model
KW - Illicit drugs
KW - Pharmaceuticals
KW - ToxCast
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85088968725&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1016/j.envpol.2020.115162
DO - 10.1016/j.envpol.2020.115162
M3 - Article
C2 - 32771868
AN - SCOPUS:85088968725
SN - 0269-7491
VL - 266
JO - Environmental Pollution
JF - Environmental Pollution
M1 - 115162
ER -