Effects of short-term exposure to fluoxetine and carbamazepine to the collembolan Folsomia candida

Abstract

Pharmaceuticals, emerging environmental contaminants, have their ecotoxicological effects to non-target organisms in soil largely unknown. This study assessed short-term effects of two human pharmaceuticals, carbamazepine and fluoxetine, to Folsomia candida. Avoidance to spiked soils was assessed after 48 and 96 h exposure and biochemical changes (acetylcholinesterase and glutathione S-transferase activities, and lipid peroxidation levels) after 96 h. F. candida avoided soils spiked with 0.04, 0.4 and 4 mg carbamazepine kg(-1) after 48 h. However, higher number of organisms were found in soils with 40 mg carbamazepine kg(-1), a behavior also displayed for 40 mg fluoxetine kg(-1) spiked soils. After 96 h, F. candida showed avoidance behavior to soils with 4 and 40 mg carbamazepine kg(-1). Acetylcholinesterase activity decreased in 0.4 mg fluoxetine kg(-1) exposed organisms. Peroxidative damages were detected in organisms exposed to 4 and 40 mg kg(-1) carbamazepine and glutathione S-transferase inhibition was observed at 40 mg kg(-1). Data suggests that carbamazepine and fluoxetine may pose risk to soil collembolan.

Keywords: Avoidance; Biomarkers; Human pharmaceuticals; Soil; Springtail.