Influence of suspended sediment characteristics on the bioaccumulation and biological effects of citalopram in Daphnia magna

Abstract

The influence of suspended sediment (SPS) characteristics on the bioavailability of the antidepressant citalopram (CIT) was investigated in the cladoceran Daphnia magna. The bioaccumulation, swimming behaviours, psychological indices, and oxidative stress were examined. The CIT bioaccumulation were altered in the presence of SPS, such that the body burden of CIT decreased as the concentration of SPS increased and as the organic carbon content of SPS (foc) increased; moreover, the body burden of CIT increased as SPS particle size increased. All the biomarker activities of D. magna were markedly induced at a CIT exposure concentration of 10 μg/L. However, the biological effects of CIT did not depend on the body burden of CIT as SPS concentration increased, while the swimming activities and oxidative stress were significantly enhanced by SPS concentration at 1 g/L. The influences of SPS particle size and foc on the activities of swimming and physiological indicators were mainly associated with the CIT bioaccumulation, while foc in SPS was more substantial than particle size. In addition, the antioxidant activities decreased as foc increased and were significantly strengthened at particle sizes of 30–60 μm. The impacts of different SPS characteristics on the adsorption and desorption capacity of CIT and the ingestion habits of D. magna were the main reasons for the variations in CIT body burden and biological effects. According to the results obtained in this study, the SPS characteristics should be considered in the risk assessment of contaminants in natural aquatic environments.