New insights on cytostatic drug risk assessment in aquatic environments based on measured concentrations in surface waters

• Published in: Environment international Vol. 133; no. Pt B; p. 105236
• Main Authors: Gouveia, Teresa I.A., Alves, Arminda, Santos, Mónica S.F.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Netherlands Elsevier Ltd 01.12.2019; Elsevier
• Subjects: Aquatic environment; Aquatic Organisms - drug effects; Cancer; Cytostatic Agents - analysis; Cytostatic Agents - toxicity; Cytostatics; Environmental Monitoring - methods; Fresh Water - chemistry; Measured environmental concentrations; Risk assessment; Risk Assessment - methods; Waste Water - chemistry; Water Pollutants, Chemical - analysis; Water Pollutants, Chemical - toxicity; Measured environmental concentrations; Aquatic environment; Cytostatics; Risk assessment; Cancer
• ISSN: 0160-4120; 1873-6750
• DOI: 10.1016/j.envint.2019.105236

[Display omitted] •High Risk to aquatic biota: mycophenolic acid and tamoxifen.•Moderate Risk to aquatic biota: methotrexate and tegafur.•Low risk to aquatic biota: bicalutamide.•Lack of accurate and sensitive analytical methods for exposure and risk assessment.•Predicted concentrations are underestimating the real contamination of waters. Cytostatic drugs are compounds used to treat cancer, one of the deadliest diseases worldwide with a rising yearly incidence. However, the occurrence and concentrations of a large number of cytostatics in waters and wastewaters are unknown. Thus, this study sought to analyze the concentrations of these compounds in different aquatic environments worldwide to assess the risk that these compounds pose to aquatic organisms. The top five most monitored cytostatics in aquatic environments are fluorouracil, methotrexate, tamoxifen, ifosfamide, and cyclophosphamide. Risk quotients (RQs) based on maximum reported measured concentrations revealed that mycophenolic acid and tamoxifen pose a high risk to aquatic organisms (RQmax ≥ 1) at concentrations observed in surface waters. Moreover, methotrexate and tegafur were categorized as moderate risk compounds, and bicalutamide was found to pose a low risk. Importantly, the available analytical methodologies for the quantification of some cytostatics (e.g., cisplatin, fluorouracil, daunorubicin, imatinib, and mycophenolic acid) in water could not rule out potential risk to aquatic biota, since estimated risks for these compounds using the lowest method detection limits reported in the literature (RQ MDL) were all ≥0.01 (i.e., low risk or higher). Moreover, risks based on predicted concentrations (RQ PEC) were consistently lower than those based on measured concentrations, highlighting the importance of risk assessment based on measured values. Thus, accurate and sensitive analytical methods are crucial to identify and quantify cytostatic exposure in aquatic ecosystems in order to preserve biodiversity and ensure a safer environment.