New Approach Methodologies: Physiological Responses of Daphnids to Pharmaceutical Mixtures

The levels of pharmaceuticals have been continuously increasing in aquatic ecosystems over the past decade due to their extensive use in human and veterinary medicine. Traditional water monitoring methods have been proven insufficient to capture pollution due to pharmaceuticals because of sensitivit...

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Main Authors: Emma Rowan, Anne Leung, Katie O‘Rourke, Konstantinos Grintzalis
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2024-04-01
Series:Proceedings
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Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/2504-3900/102/1/46
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author Emma Rowan
Anne Leung
Katie O‘Rourke
Konstantinos Grintzalis
author_facet Emma Rowan
Anne Leung
Katie O‘Rourke
Konstantinos Grintzalis
author_sort Emma Rowan
collection DOAJ
description The levels of pharmaceuticals have been continuously increasing in aquatic ecosystems over the past decade due to their extensive use in human and veterinary medicine. Traditional water monitoring methods have been proven insufficient to capture pollution due to pharmaceuticals because of sensitivity limits, their inability to monitor every pollutant, and their failure to provide mechanistic insights into the actions of pollutants. To combat this, new approach methodologies (NAMs) are increasingly introduced as supplementary tools that can provide sensitive metrics for pollution assessment. In addition, NAMs can bridge the gap in ecotoxicological information regarding mixtures of pharmaceuticals, which are more commonly found in aquatic ecosystems versus pharmaceuticals existing alone. In this context, freshwater sentinel species, such as the water flea known as daphnids, were used to assess the acute effects of a typical pharmaceutical mixture on various physiological and molecular responses. In addition to mortality, phenotypic and molecular endpoints such as ingestion rate and enzyme activity were measured to determine the impact of a cocktail of commonly prescribed pharmaceuticals. Specifically, diclofenac, metformin, gabapentin, amoxicillin, trimethoprim, and erythromycin were mixed in equal amounts and tested at 0.1, 1, and 10 mg/L. Results showed differences in mortality, a decrease in feeding, and changes in enzyme activities, thus supporting a distinct pattern in the physiological responses of daphnids
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spelling doaj-art-e92c84d86a264753bca2751eecbe8feb2025-08-20T03:16:38ZengMDPI AGProceedings2504-39002024-04-0110214610.3390/proceedings2024102046New Approach Methodologies: Physiological Responses of Daphnids to Pharmaceutical MixturesEmma Rowan0Anne Leung1Katie O‘Rourke2Konstantinos Grintzalis3School of Biotechnology, Dublin City University, D09 Y5NO Dublin, IrelandSchool of Biotechnology, Dublin City University, D09 Y5NO Dublin, IrelandSchool of Biotechnology, Dublin City University, D09 Y5NO Dublin, IrelandSchool of Biotechnology, Dublin City University, D09 Y5NO Dublin, IrelandThe levels of pharmaceuticals have been continuously increasing in aquatic ecosystems over the past decade due to their extensive use in human and veterinary medicine. Traditional water monitoring methods have been proven insufficient to capture pollution due to pharmaceuticals because of sensitivity limits, their inability to monitor every pollutant, and their failure to provide mechanistic insights into the actions of pollutants. To combat this, new approach methodologies (NAMs) are increasingly introduced as supplementary tools that can provide sensitive metrics for pollution assessment. In addition, NAMs can bridge the gap in ecotoxicological information regarding mixtures of pharmaceuticals, which are more commonly found in aquatic ecosystems versus pharmaceuticals existing alone. In this context, freshwater sentinel species, such as the water flea known as daphnids, were used to assess the acute effects of a typical pharmaceutical mixture on various physiological and molecular responses. In addition to mortality, phenotypic and molecular endpoints such as ingestion rate and enzyme activity were measured to determine the impact of a cocktail of commonly prescribed pharmaceuticals. Specifically, diclofenac, metformin, gabapentin, amoxicillin, trimethoprim, and erythromycin were mixed in equal amounts and tested at 0.1, 1, and 10 mg/L. Results showed differences in mortality, a decrease in feeding, and changes in enzyme activities, thus supporting a distinct pattern in the physiological responses of daphnidshttps://www.mdpi.com/2504-3900/102/1/46pharmaceuticalsdaphnidsenzyme markersfeedingphenotypic endpoints
spellingShingle Emma Rowan
Anne Leung
Katie O‘Rourke
Konstantinos Grintzalis
New Approach Methodologies: Physiological Responses of Daphnids to Pharmaceutical Mixtures
Proceedings
pharmaceuticals
daphnids
enzyme markers
feeding
phenotypic endpoints
title New Approach Methodologies: Physiological Responses of Daphnids to Pharmaceutical Mixtures
title_full New Approach Methodologies: Physiological Responses of Daphnids to Pharmaceutical Mixtures
title_fullStr New Approach Methodologies: Physiological Responses of Daphnids to Pharmaceutical Mixtures
title_full_unstemmed New Approach Methodologies: Physiological Responses of Daphnids to Pharmaceutical Mixtures
title_short New Approach Methodologies: Physiological Responses of Daphnids to Pharmaceutical Mixtures
title_sort new approach methodologies physiological responses of daphnids to pharmaceutical mixtures
topic pharmaceuticals
daphnids
enzyme markers
feeding
phenotypic endpoints
url https://www.mdpi.com/2504-3900/102/1/46
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AT anneleung newapproachmethodologiesphysiologicalresponsesofdaphnidstopharmaceuticalmixtures
AT katieorourke newapproachmethodologiesphysiologicalresponsesofdaphnidstopharmaceuticalmixtures
AT konstantinosgrintzalis newapproachmethodologiesphysiologicalresponsesofdaphnidstopharmaceuticalmixtures