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Bioaccumulation and trophodynamics of the antidepressants sertraline and fluoxetine in laboratory-constructed, 3-level aquatic food chains

Boström, Marja L. LU ; Ekelund Ugge, Gustaf LU orcid ; Jönsson, Jan Åke LU and Berglund, Olof LU (2017) In Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry 36(4). p.1029-1037
Abstract

Although reports of pharmaceutical bioconcentration in aquatic organisms are increasing, less is known about trophic transfer in aquatic food webs. The bioaccumulation and trophodynamics of sertraline and fluoxetine, 2 selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) frequently detected in aquatic environments, were tested by exposing constructed aquatic food chains to SSRIs under controlled laboratory conditions. Both of these ionizable, weak base pharmaceuticals showed lower bioaccumulation factors (BAFs) with increasing trophic level (i.e., no biomagnifications) in 2 3-level food chains (Acer platanoides, fed to Asellus aquaticus, in turn fed to Notonecta glauca or Pungitius pungitius). Mean sertraline BAFs in A. platanoides, A.... (More)

Although reports of pharmaceutical bioconcentration in aquatic organisms are increasing, less is known about trophic transfer in aquatic food webs. The bioaccumulation and trophodynamics of sertraline and fluoxetine, 2 selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) frequently detected in aquatic environments, were tested by exposing constructed aquatic food chains to SSRIs under controlled laboratory conditions. Both of these ionizable, weak base pharmaceuticals showed lower bioaccumulation factors (BAFs) with increasing trophic level (i.e., no biomagnifications) in 2 3-level food chains (Acer platanoides, fed to Asellus aquaticus, in turn fed to Notonecta glauca or Pungitius pungitius). Mean sertraline BAFs in A. platanoides, A. aquaticus, N. glauca, and P. pungitus were 2200 L/kg, 360 L/kg, 26 L/kg, and 49 L/kg, respectively, and mean fluoxetine BAFs 1300 L/kg, 110 L/kg, 11 L/kg, and 41 L/kg, respectively. The weak influence of diet was further demonstrated by measured BAFs being equal to or lower than measured bioconcentration factors (BCFs). Organism lipid content was not positively correlated with BAFs, suggesting that other processes are driving interspecific differences in SSRI bioaccumulation. The empirically derived parameter values were introduced into a proposed bioaccumulation model, and a poor correlation was found between modeled and empirical BAFs (predicted r2 = –0.63). In conclusion, the apparent lack of biomagnification of these ionizable pharmaceuticals suggests that environmental concern should not necessarily focus only on higher trophic levels, but also on species showing high BCFs at any trophic level. Environ Toxicol Chem 2017;36:1029–1037.

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author
; ; and
organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
keywords
Aquatic food chain, Bioaccumulation, Bioconcentration, Biomagnification, Ionizable pharmaceuticals, Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor
in
Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry
volume
36
issue
4
pages
9 pages
publisher
John Wiley & Sons Inc.
external identifiers
  • pmid:27696515
  • wos:000398190000026
  • scopus:84998655174
ISSN
0730-7268
DOI
10.1002/etc.3637
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
8fa1e1dd-bf8c-4c70-af94-7ea67108a49a
date added to LUP
2017-04-12 08:09:16
date last changed
2022-04-24 23:14:55
@article{8fa1e1dd-bf8c-4c70-af94-7ea67108a49a,
  abstract     = {{<p>Although reports of pharmaceutical bioconcentration in aquatic organisms are increasing, less is known about trophic transfer in aquatic food webs. The bioaccumulation and trophodynamics of sertraline and fluoxetine, 2 selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) frequently detected in aquatic environments, were tested by exposing constructed aquatic food chains to SSRIs under controlled laboratory conditions. Both of these ionizable, weak base pharmaceuticals showed lower bioaccumulation factors (BAFs) with increasing trophic level (i.e., no biomagnifications) in 2 3-level food chains (Acer platanoides, fed to Asellus aquaticus, in turn fed to Notonecta glauca or Pungitius pungitius). Mean sertraline BAFs in A. platanoides, A. aquaticus, N. glauca, and P. pungitus were 2200 L/kg, 360 L/kg, 26 L/kg, and 49 L/kg, respectively, and mean fluoxetine BAFs 1300 L/kg, 110 L/kg, 11 L/kg, and 41 L/kg, respectively. The weak influence of diet was further demonstrated by measured BAFs being equal to or lower than measured bioconcentration factors (BCFs). Organism lipid content was not positively correlated with BAFs, suggesting that other processes are driving interspecific differences in SSRI bioaccumulation. The empirically derived parameter values were introduced into a proposed bioaccumulation model, and a poor correlation was found between modeled and empirical BAFs (predicted r<sup>2</sup> = –0.63). In conclusion, the apparent lack of biomagnification of these ionizable pharmaceuticals suggests that environmental concern should not necessarily focus only on higher trophic levels, but also on species showing high BCFs at any trophic level. Environ Toxicol Chem 2017;36:1029–1037.</p>}},
  author       = {{Boström, Marja L. and Ekelund Ugge, Gustaf and Jönsson, Jan Åke and Berglund, Olof}},
  issn         = {{0730-7268}},
  keywords     = {{Aquatic food chain; Bioaccumulation; Bioconcentration; Biomagnification; Ionizable pharmaceuticals; Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  month        = {{04}},
  number       = {{4}},
  pages        = {{1029--1037}},
  publisher    = {{John Wiley & Sons Inc.}},
  series       = {{Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry}},
  title        = {{Bioaccumulation and trophodynamics of the antidepressants sertraline and fluoxetine in laboratory-constructed, 3-level aquatic food chains}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/etc.3637}},
  doi          = {{10.1002/etc.3637}},
  volume       = {{36}},
  year         = {{2017}},
}