Effect of the lipid regulator Gemfibrozil in the Cladocera Daphnia magna at different temperatures

ABSTRACT

In the present study, an ecotoxicological approach to the evaluation of Gemfibrozil (GEM) as an emerging organic pollutant was done. In order to assess its toxicity, tests were conducted using the cladocera Daphnia magna. Experiments were carried out at 22°C and 28°C. EC₅₀, feeding behavior, and chronic toxicity tests (21 days) were evaluated in D. magna exposed to GEM as well as cholesterol levels at 21-day chronic exposure. D. magna GEM EC₅₀ values (24 h) in our experimental conditions were 148.75 and 116.24 mg L⁻¹ at 22°C and 28°C, respectively. Test concentrations of 0.1, 0.5, 1.0, 5.0 and 7.5 mg L⁻¹ were selected for subacute and chronic experiments. Subacute short-term test (feeding study) was assessed after exposure to the toxicant. Filtration and ingestion rates of D. magna exposed animals did not show any significant difference (P > 0.05) with respect to control daphniids neither at 22°C nor at 28°C. Therefore, GEM test concentrations used in the present study did not reduce feeding behavior in D. magna. Temperature increased from 22°C to 28°C, which resulted in a decrease of the daphniids reproductive parameters such as brood size and number of young per female. Other parameters as longevity were not affected. The GEM concentrations used in the chronic test with D. magna did not affect daphniids longevity but some reproductive parameters as number of young per female or brood size were affected. Finally, a significant decreased in cholesterol levels was found in those animals exposed to the highest toxicant concentrations. More studies must be done to determine the possible implications of GEM in aquatic fauna and to derive its possible effects on the environment.

KEYWORDS:

• Cholesterol levels
• chronic toxicity
• emerging chemical
• feeding behavior
• invertebrate

Funding

This work was supported by the grants UV-AE-10-24323 and UV-INV-AE112-65758 from Universitat de València (Valencia, Spain).