EFFECTS OF DIAZEPAM ON BIOTESTER ORGANISMS

Authors : Schröder Verginica, Iancu Irina Mihaela, Georgata Pavalache

Pages : 1-6

View : 20 | Download : 11

Publication Date : 2018-12-25

Article Type : Research

Abstract :Benzodiazepines are the most prescribed pharmaceuticals as depresses of the nervous system. Among these, the group of  benzodiazepines with special relevance to diazepam, is the most extensively studied as potential environmental contaminants. Diazepam has been detected in WWTP originating from hospitals as well as in effluents from municipal WWTP plants. The purpose of the present study is to identify whether the diazepam solutions generate any effects at tested specie and from what concentrations these were recorded at crustaceans organism.   The adults of  Gammarus pulex balcanicus  (Crustacea Amphipoda) were tested according to   GamTox protocol for aquatic toxicity. Diazepam injectable solutions (5 mg/mL) were purchased from Terapia SA.Cluj Napoca, Romania. For testing, four dilutions were used: 1 µg/mL, 2 µg/mL, 10 µg/mL and 20 µg/mL.  The behavior and mortality were evaluated at 12, 24, 36, 48, 72 hours from start. The lethal effects (30 %) were presented in the first 12 hours of the exposure at 20  µg/mL at diazepam concentrations. In the next time more extensive physiology reponses and the specimens mortality were gradually recorded.   LC50  was recorded at 7, 8 µg/mL, after 36 hours . The more lethal effects (LC 85 and LC100) were recorded at higher than 10  µg/mL  concentrations. In conclusions, the diazepam solutions induced changes quickly and more extensive on the physiology of the bio tester organism, which becoming in 12- 48 hours a toxic substance with effects on all vital process. These results are representative data about benzodiazepines effects at aquatic crustacean species, in current context when  the effects of pharmaceuticals as potential contaminant at these aquatic communities were little  known. 
Keywords : diazepam, aquatic crustacean, Gammarus