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Fluoxetine, a selective serotonin re-uptake inhibitor (SSRI) antidepressant, is among the most prescribed pharmaceutical active substances worldwide. This study aimed to assess its accumulation and metabolization in the mussel Mytillus galloprovincialis, considered an excellent sentinel species for traditional and emerging pollutants. Mussels were collected from Ria Formosa Lagoon, Portugal, and exposed to a nominal concentration of fluoxetine (75 ng L(-1)) for 15 days. Approximately 1 g of whole mussel soft tissues was extracted with acetonitrile:formic acid, loaded into an Oasis MCX cartridge, and fluoxetine analysed by liquid chromatography with tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MSn). After 3 days of exposure, fluoxetine was accumulated in 70% of the samples, with a mean of 2.53 ng g(-1) dry weight (d.w.) and norfluoxetine was only detected in one sample (10%), at 3.06 ng g(-1) d.w. After 7 days of exposure, the accumulation of fluoxetine and norfluoxetine increased up to 80 and 50% respectively, and their mean accumulated levels in mussel tissues were up to 4.43 and 2.85 ng g(-1) d.w., respectively. By the end of the exposure period (15 days), both compounds were detected in 100% of the samples (mean of 9.31 and 11.65 ng g(-1) d.w., respectively). Statistical analysis revealed significant accumulation differences between the 3rd and 15th day of exposure for fluoxetine, and between the 3rd and 7th against the 15th day of exposure for norfluoxetine. These results suggest that the fluoxetine accumulated in mussel tissues is likely to be metabolised into norfluoxetine with the increase of the time of exposure, giving evidence that at these realistic environmental concentrations, toxic effects of fluoxetine in mussel tissues may occur., (Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Pharmaceuticals, such as anti-inflammatory nonsteroidal drugs, are frequently detected in aquatic ecosystems. Studies about the effects of these substances in nontarget organisms, such as bivalves, are relevant. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects on antioxidant status caused by ibuprofen (IBU) in oysters Crassostrea gigas exposed for 1, 4, and 7 days at concentrations 1 and 100 μg L(-1). Levels of IBU in tissues of oysters, as well as cell viability of hemocytes, were measured. The transcription of cytochrome P450 genes (CYP2AU2, CYP356A1, CYP3071A1, CYP30C1), glutathione S-transferase isoforms (GST-ω-like and GST-π-like), cyclooxygenase-like (COX-like), fatty acid binding protein-like (FABP-like), caspase-like, heat shock protein-like (HSP70-like), catalase-like (CAT-like), and the activity of catalase (CAT), glutathione peroxidase (GPx), glutathione reductase (GR), and glutathione S-transferase (GST) were also evaluated in the gills of oysters. The highest levels of IBU were observed in animals exposed to 100 μg L(-1). A significant upregulation of CYP2AU1, CYP356A1, CYP3071A1, GST-ω-like, GST-π-like, COX-like, and FABP-like was observed in oysters exposed to IBU under different experimental conditions. Oysters exposed to 1 μg L(-1) for 7 days showed a significantly higher transcription of CYP2AU2, CYP356A1, CYP3071A1, GST-ω-like, and GST-π-like but lower GR activity. In conclusion, C. gigas exposed to environmentally relevant concentrations of IBU (1 μg L(-1)) exhibited increased transcription of certain genes and alterations on antioxidant and auxiliary enzymes, which could, in the the long term, cause damages to exposed organisms.

This paper deals with the detection and quantification of APIs and other priority substances in the Arade River estuary (Portugal) providing the usefulness of Polar Organic Compound Integrative Samplers (POCIS). Thirteen APIs were detected whose variation was site and time dependent. Caffeine was at the highest concentration (804±209 ng/L) followed by theophylline (184±44 ng/L). Other APIs were analgesic, anticonvulsant, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, anti-lipidemic, anxiolytic and antidepressants. Twenty pesticides comprising atrazine, diuron, isoproturon, terbutryn and simazine included in the Water Framework Directive priority list were also site and time dependent. Carbendazim occurred at the highest concentration (45±18 ng/L at site 1) but atrazine, diuron, isoproturon and simazine levels were below the Environmental Quality Standards. Although the summer impact was unclear, the results highlighted POCIS suitability for profiling these contaminants. This is to our knowledge the first study concerning APIs and pesticides in this area., (Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

In recent years, research studies have increasingly focused on assessing the occurrence of active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs) in ecosystems. However, much remains unknown concerning the potential effects on APIs on non-target organisms due to the complexity of the mode of action, reactivity and bioconcentration potential for each specific drug. The non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) diclofenac (DCF) is one of the most frequently detected APIs in surface waters worldwide and has recently been included in the list of priority substances under the European Commission. In this study, mussels (Mytilus galloprovincialis) were exposed to an environmentally relevant nominal concentration of DCF (250 ng L(-1)) over 15 days. The responses of several biomarkers were assessed in the mussel tissues: condition index (CI); superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), glutathione reductase (GR) and phase II glutathione-S-transferase (GST) activities, lipid peroxidation levels (LPO) associated with oxidative stress, acetylcholinesterase (AChE) activity related to neurotoxic effects and vitellogenin-like proteins linked to endocrine disruption. This study demonstrated significant induction of SOD and GR activities in the gills in addition to high CAT activity and LPO levels in the digestive gland. Phase II GST remained unaltered in both tissues, while the up-regulation of the AChE activity was directly related to the vitellogenin-like protein levels in exposed females, indicating an alteration in the estrogenic activity, rather than a breakdown in cholinergic neurotransmission function. This study confirmed that DCF at a concentration often observed in surface water induces tissue-specific biomarker responses. Finally, this study also revealed the importance of a multi-biomarker approach when assessing the potentially deleterious effects in a species that may be vulnerable to the continuously discharge of APIs into the ecosystems; this approach provides crucial new information regarding the unknown effects of DCF., (Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Fluoxetine (FLX) the active pharmaceutical ingredient (API) in Prozac(®) is a widely prescribed psychoactive drug which ubiquitous occurrence in the aquatic environment is associated to a poor removal rate in waste-water treatment plant (WWTP) systems. This API acts as a selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI) frequently reported to cause disrupting effects in non-target species. The objective of this study includes a multibiomarker response evaluation on mussel Mytilus galloprovincialis during two weeks exposure to 75 ng L(-1) FLX assessing antioxidant enzymes activities--superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT) and glutathione-S-transferase (GST); lipid peroxidation (LPO), acetylcholinesterase (AChE) neurotoxic response and endocrine disruption through alkali-labile phosphates (ALP) indirect measurement of vitellogenin-like proteins. Results show transient tissue-specific enzymatic responses and damage affecting mostly mussel gills. However, the clear ALP levels inhibition throughout time in both sex-differentiated gonads gives evidence to FLX reinforced action as an endocrine disruptor rather than an oxidative or neurotoxic inducer., (Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Ibuprofen (IBU) is one of the most sold over-the-counter non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAID) and widely detected in the aquatic ecosystems. Nevertheless, the information regarding IBU effects in biota is still sparse. The goal of this study was to assess IBU potential effect as oxidative stress and endocrine disruption inducer in mussel Mytilus galloprovincialis applying a battery of biomarkers. Over two weeks of exposure to IBU (250 ngL(-1)), superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), glutathione reductase (GR), phase II glutathione S-transferase (GST) activities and lipid peroxidation (LPO) levels were determined in the digestive gland and alkali-labile phosphates (ALP) were carried out in sex-differentiated mussels' gonads. The results confirm a transitory induction of antioxidant activities responses concomitant to lipid peroxide formation outline and an increase of ALP levels over time, particularly in exposed males which may lead to mussels' reproductive fitness impairment highlighting a higher impact of IBU as an endocrine disruptor than as a short-term reactive oxygen species (ROS)-generator., (Copyright © 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs) are presently considered an emergent class of environmental contaminants. Ibuprofen (IBU) is one of the most applied non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) in the world. Several authors report the occurrence of IBU in influents and effluents of waste water treatment plants (WWTPs), surface, river and public tap water in numerous countries. However, very little is known about the risks and chronic effects of IBU exposure in non-target organisms. This approach undertakes the assessment of several oxidative stress biomarkers responses through the analysis of antioxidant enzymes activities (superoxide dismutase - SOD, catalase - CAT, glutathione S-transferase - GST, glutathione reductase - GR) and lipid peroxidation (LPO) levels in sentinel species mussel Mytilus galloprovincialis gills exposed for 2 weeks to an environmental realistic concentration of IBU. Results clearly show the significant induction and positive correlation between SOD activity and LPO in exposed gills, concomitant to an antioxidant defense depletion of CAT, GR and GST compared to controls. The integration of all biomarkers in mussels' gills separates non- and exposed groups supporting the breakdown of the redox defense system and IBU's pro-oxidant action. Further studies are needed to test possible endocrine disruption effects in mussels' reproduction fitness as IBU is involved on prostaglandins biosynthesis inhibition., (Copyright © 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)