Influence of different concentrations of plasticizer diethyl phthalate (DEP) on toxicity of Lactuca sativa seeds, Artemia salina and Zebrafish

Maria Carolina de Almeida; Michele Resende Machado; Gessyca Gonçalves Costa; Gisele Augusto Rodrigues de Oliveira; Hugo Freire Nunes; Danillo Fabrini Maciel Costa Veloso; Taís Aragão Ishizawa; Julião Pereira; Tatianne Ferreira de Oliveira

doi:10.1016/j.heliyon.2023.e18855

Influence of different concentrations of plasticizer diethyl phthalate (DEP) on toxicity of Lactuca sativa seeds, Artemia salina and Zebrafish

Heliyon. 2023 Aug 4;9(9):e18855. doi: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2023.e18855. eCollection 2023 Sep.

Authors

Maria Carolina de Almeida¹, Michele Resende Machado², Gessyca Gonçalves Costa², Gisele Augusto Rodrigues de Oliveira², Hugo Freire Nunes³, Danillo Fabrini Maciel Costa Veloso⁴, Taís Aragão Ishizawa⁵, Julião Pereira⁵, Tatianne Ferreira de Oliveira⁵

Affiliations

¹ Federal Institute of Education, Science and Technology of Goiás-IFG, Inhumas Campus, Avenida Universitária, Vale das Goiabeiras, 75402-556, Inhumas, Goiás, Brazil.
² Environmental Toxicology Research Laboratory-ENVTOX, Pharmacy College, Federal University of Goiás-UFG, Central Campus, Praça Universitária, Bloco B, Rua 240, 406, Setor Leste Universitário, 74605-17, Goiânia, Goiás, Brazil.
³ Laboratory of Extraction and Separation Methods-LAMES, Chemistry College, Federal University of Goiás-UFG, Samambaia Campus, Alameda Palmeiras, Chácaras Califórnia, 74045-155, Goiânia, Goiás, Brazil.
⁴ Center for Research, Technological Development and Innovation in Pharmaceuticals, Medicines and Cosmetics-FARMATEC, Pharmacy College, Federal University of Goiás-UFG, Samambaia Campus, Alameda Flamboyant, Quadra K, Edifício Life, Parque Tecnológico Samambaia, 74690-631, Goiânia, Goiás, Brazil.
⁵ Agronomy School, Federal University of Goiás-UFG, Samambaia Campus, Rodovia Goiânia-Nova Veneza Km-0, Caixa Postal 131, 74690-900, Goiânia, Goiás, Brazil.

Abstract

Like other phthalates, diethyl phthalate (DEP) is considered as a contaminant of emerging concern (CEC) due to its ease in migrating from a package to water and food, and hence contaminate consumers, being metabolized and excreted in the urine. Its presence has a negative impact on aquatic ecosystems, especially with respect to disruption of the endocrine system and to reproductive disorders in humans. It mainly enters water bodies via sewage effluents from effluent treatment plants, due to its incomplete or inefficient removal. The objective of this work was to evaluate the toxicity of DEP at different trophic levels and to analyze data on the incidence and concentration of DEP according to its solubility. The concentrations ranged from 12.5 mg L^-1 to 500 mg L^-1 considering the response for toxicity at each trophic level and to determine the lethal concentration in 50% of the following organisms (LC₅₀) (in mg L^-1): Lactuca sativa seeds, Artemia salina Leach nauplii and Zebrafish embryo larval stage (Danio rerio), being 41,057.58 after 120 h; 401.77 after 48 h; and 470 after 96 h of exposure, respectively. As expected, higher organisms were more affected even at low concentrations, which shows the anthropological contribution of CECs to water bodies.

Keywords: CECs; DEP; Flexible food packaging; Plasticizers; Toxicity; Water environment.