Abstract
Cyclophosphamide (CP) is a chemotherapy drug which is widely used in the treatment of neoplastic diseases and have often been detected in urban and hospital wastewater, and surface waters. However, at present the effects of CP on aquatic organisms and ecosystems are poorly understood. The main objective of the present study was to assess the effect of CP on the structure and functioning of a sub-tropical freshwater ecosystem (macroinvertebrates, zooplankton and phytoplankton) at environmental relevant concentrations. CP (0, 0.5, 5 and 50 μg/L) was applied weekly to 13,600 L mesocosms over a period of four weeks followed by a one month post exposure period. CP was found to dissipate much faster than previous reported in literature and the half-dissipation times were treatment dependent, being 2.2, 21.3 and 23.6 days in the lowest, middle and highest treatments respectively. Only treatment related effects were observed on the community structure at individual samplings with zooplankton (NOECcommunity = 0.5 μg/L) responding at lower concentrations than phytoplankton (NOECcommunity = 5 μg/L) and macroinvertebrates (NOECcommunity ≥ 50 μg/L). The dissolved organic carbon concentration was consistently higher in the 2 highest treatments, indicating a potential effect on food web interactions and/or the microbial loop. At the population level, consistent adverse effects were observed for the plankton taxa Pleuroxus laevis, Dissotrocha sp. and Oscillatoria sp. at all CP concentrations (NOEC <0.5 μg/L). Additionally, at the highest CP treatments 7% of all the taxa showed a clear short-term adverse effect. Based on comparison with literature data it can be concluded that these taxa have the highest CP sensitivity ever recorded and these findings indicate a potential CP risk to aquatic ecosystems at environmental relevant concentrations.
Highlights
The use of anticancer drugs in chemotherapy is increasing every year and the residues of these pharmaceuticals are continuously discharged into the aquatic environment through urban and hospital wastewater and water treatment plants effluents (Grung et al, 2008; Ventura et al, 2017)
High CP concentrations as high as 0.3 μg/L are being detected In wastewater treatment plants effluent (Česen et al, 2015; Gómez-Canela et al, 2012; Grung et al, 2008; Isidori et al, 2016; Lin and Lin, 2014; Steger-Hartmann et al, 1997)
While low degradability may lead to higher CP concentrations, this is balanced by its low predicted log Kow, which would suggest a broad distribution within the aquatic ecosystem
Summary
The use of anticancer drugs in chemotherapy is increasing every year and the residues of these pharmaceuticals are continuously discharged into the aquatic environment through urban and hospital wastewater and water treatment plants effluents (Grung et al, 2008; Ventura et al, 2017). The highest CP concentrations are being detected in hospital wastewater effluents, ranging from
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
