Biodegradation of triclosan in diatom Navicula sp.: Kinetics, transformation products, toxicity evaluation and the effects of pH and potassium permanganate

J Hazard Mater. 2018 Feb 15:344:200-209. doi: 10.1016/j.jhazmat.2017.09.033. Epub 2017 Sep 21.

Abstract

Triclosan (TCS) is one of the most widely used pharmaceutically active compounds and frequently detected in treated wastewater and the impacted aquatic environment. However, the fate and toxicity of TCS in aquatic organisms is poorly known, including in particular the potential for the formation of incomplete biological transformation products. In this study, TCS posed high toxic effects (e.g., growth inhibition and damage of photosynthesis) to typical freshwater diatom Navicula sp., with the 24h and 72h EC50 values of 173.3 and 145.6μgL-1, respectively. The bioaccumulation of TCS in diatom cells increased with the increasing exposure to TCS and showed to be time-dependent. The higher intracellular TCS lead to higher toxicity on Navicula sp. The intracellular TCS concentration and the growth inhibition of TCS in Navicula sp. at pH 7.5 was obviously higher than that at pH 8.3, which was likely due to the higher abundance of unionized TCS in the culture. KMnO4 reduced both bioaccumulation and toxicity of TCS in Navicula sp., especially at pH 8.3. A total of seven products were detected by liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS). These findings will provide a reference for the risk assessment of TCS in aquatic environment.

Keywords: Biodegradation; Navicula sp.; Toxicity; Triclosan; pH and KMnO(4).

MeSH terms

  • Anti-Infective Agents, Local / metabolism*
  • Anti-Infective Agents, Local / toxicity
  • Biodegradation, Environmental
  • Biotransformation
  • Diatoms / drug effects
  • Diatoms / metabolism*
  • Hydrogen-Ion Concentration
  • Kinetics
  • Potassium Permanganate / chemistry
  • Potassium Permanganate / pharmacology
  • Triclosan / metabolism*
  • Triclosan / pharmacology
  • Triclosan / toxicity
  • Water Pollutants, Chemical / metabolism*
  • Water Pollutants, Chemical / toxicity

Substances

  • Anti-Infective Agents, Local
  • Water Pollutants, Chemical
  • Potassium Permanganate
  • Triclosan