Toxicological effects resulting from co-exposure to nanomaterials and to a β-blocker pharmaceutical drug in the non-target macrophyte species Lemna minor

• Autor(a) principal: Silva, Paula Mayara Morais da
• Data de Publicação: 2023
• Outros Autores: Alkimin, Gilberto Dias de, Camparotto, Natália Gabriele, Prediger, Patricia, Nunes, Bruno
• Tipo de documento: Artigo
• Idioma: eng
• Título da fonte: Repositório Científico de Acesso Aberto de Portugal (Repositórios Cientìficos)
• Texto Completo: http://hdl.handle.net/10773/37582
• topic: Graphene oxide; Cellulose nanocrystals; Propranolol; Co-exposure; Ecotoxicity

The wide use of carbon-based materials for various purposes leads to their discharge in the aquatic systems, and simultaneous occurrence with other environmental contaminants, such as pharmaceutical drugs. This co-occurrence can adversely affect exposed aquatic organisms. Up to now, few studies have considered the simultaneous toxicity of nanomaterials, and organic contaminants, including pharmaceutical drugs, towards aquatic plants. Thus, this study aimed to assess the toxic effects of the co-exposure of propranolol (PRO), and nanomaterials based on cellulose nanocrystal, and graphene oxide in the aquatic macrophyte Lemna minor. The observed effects included reduction of growth rate in 13% in co-exposure 1 (nanomaterials + PRO 5 μg L-1), and 52-64% in co-exposure 2 (nanomaterials + PRO 51.3 mg L-1), fresh weight reduction of 94-97% in co-exposure 2 compared to control group, and increased pigment production caused by co-exposure treatments. The analysis of PCA showed that co-exposure 1 (nanomaterials + PRO 5 μg L-1) positively affected growth, and fresh weight, and co-exposure 2 positively affected pigments content. The results suggested that the presence of nanomaterials enhanced the overall toxicity of PRO, exerting deleterious effects in the freshwater plant L. minor, suggesting that this higher toxicity resulting from co-exposure was a consequence of the interaction between nanomaterials and PRO.