Abstract
Surfactants are widely used in the industry of detergents, household products, and cosmetics. SAPDMA is a cationic surfactant that is used mostly in cosmetics, conditioning agents and has recently gained attention as a corrosion inhibitor in the sea pipelines industry. In this regard, literature concerning the ecotoxicological classification of SAPDMA on aquatic animals is lacking. This study aims to evaluate the potential ecotoxicity of SAPDMA using the aquatic zebrafish embryo model. The potential toxic effects of SAPDMA were assessed by different assays. This includes (i) mortality/survival assay to assess the median lethal concentration (LC50); (ii) teratogenicity assay to assess the no observed effect concentration (NOEC); (iii) organ-specific toxicity assays including cardiotoxicity, neurotoxicity (using locomotion assay), hematopoietic toxicity (hemoglobin synthesis using o-dianisidine staining), hepatotoxicity (liver steatosis and yolk retention using Oil Red O (ORO) stain); (iv) cellular cytotoxicity (mitochondrial membrane potential) by measuring the accumulation of JC-1 dye into mitochondria. Exposure of embryos to SAPDMA caused mortality in a dose-dependent manner with a calculated LC50 of 2.3 mg/L. Thus, based on the LC50 value and according to the Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) Acute Toxicity Rating Scale, SAPDMA is classified as “moderately toxic”. The No Observed Effect Concentration (NOEC) concerning a set of parameters including scoliosis, changes in body length, yolk, and eye sizes was 0.1 mg/L. At the same NOEC concentration (0.1 mg/L), no organ-specific toxicity was detected in fish treated with SAPDMA, except hepatomegaly with no associated liver dysfunctions. However, higher SAPDMA concentrations (0.8 mg/L) have dramatic effects on zebrafish organ development (eye, heart, and liver development). Our data recommend a re-evaluation of the SAPDMA employment in the industry setting and its strictly monitoring by environmental and public health agencies.
Highlights
In comparison with conventional solvents, surfactants have attracted considerable attention in various applications due to their unique physico-chemical properties and abilities to be tailor-made to suit various applications (Al-Kandari et al, 2019; Radwan et al, 2017; OECD, 2013)
Since no toxicity studies have been performed on Stearamidopropyl dimethylamine (SAPDMA), we investigated a wider range of concentrations (0.1, 1.0, 5.0, 10, 50, 100, 500, and 1000 mg/L) to find both the no observed effect concentration (NOEC) and the median lethal concentration (LC50)
The potential adverse effect and the morality score of SAPDMA were examined at 24-96 hpf, which is the period where zebrafish embryos are most sensitive to external compounds and drugs (Olkowska et al, 2014)
Summary
In comparison with conventional solvents, surfactants have attracted considerable attention in various applications due to their unique physico-chemical properties and abilities to be tailor-made to suit various applications (Al-Kandari et al, 2019; Radwan et al, 2017; OECD, 2013) In this regard, a very strong impulse on surfactants research is coming from their growing employment in many important practical and fundamental industries like petroleum oil recovery, water, environmental pollutions, and most importantly corrosion inhibition (Radwan et al, 2017). Recent studies have shown that surfactants employment is one of the best-known “green” methods of corrosion protection (El-Lateef, 2014; Malik et al, 2011; Radwan et al, 2017; Sliem et al, 2019; Zhu et al, 2017) Whether these compounds are truly eco-friendly and free of environmental toxic effects especially towards aquatic organisms is a question that remains to be answered yet (Belanger et al, 2006; Olkowska et al, 2014; Rhein, 2007). Even though surfactants are usually labeled as “green”, a recent in vivo study explored the toxicity of three commonly employed
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