Understanding pharmaceutical exposure and the potential for effects in marine biota: A survey of bonefish (Albula vulpes) across the Caribbean Basin

• Published in: Chemosphere (Oxford) Vol. 349; p. 140949
• Main Authors: Castillo, N.A., James, W.R., Santos, R.O., Rezek, R., Cerveny, D., Boucek, R.E., Adams, A.J., Goldberg, T., Campbell, L., Perez, A.U., Schmitter-Soto, J.J., Lewis, J.P., Fick, J., Brodin, T., Rehage, J.S.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: England Elsevier Ltd 01-02-2024
• Subjects: Aquatic contamination; Bonefish; Coastal environments; Marine environments; Pharmaceutical; Therapeutic concentrations; Bonefish; Marine environments; Pharmaceutical; Therapeutic concentrations; Aquatic contamination; Coastal environments
• ISSN: 0045-6535; 1879-1298; 1879-1298
• DOI: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2023.140949

Most research on pharmaceutical presence in the environment to date has focused on smaller scale assessments of freshwater and riverine systems, relying mainly on assays of water samples, while studies in marine ecosystems and of exposed biota are sparse. This study investigated the pharmaceutical burden in bonefish (Albula vulpes), an important recreational and artisanal fishery, to quantify pharmaceutical exposure throughout the Caribbean Basin. We sampled 74 bonefish from five regions, and analyzed them for 102 pharmaceuticals. We assessed the influence of sampling region on the number of pharmaceuticals, pharmaceutical assemblage, and risk of pharmacological effects. To evaluate the risk of pharmacological effects at the scale of the individual, we proposed a metric based on the human therapeutic plasma concentration (HTPC), comparing measured concentrations to a threshold of 1/3 the HTPC for each pharmaceutical. Every bonefish had at least one pharmaceutical, with an average of 4.9 and a maximum of 16 pharmaceuticals in one individual. At least one pharmaceutical was detected in exceedance of the 1/3 HTPC threshold in 39% of bonefish, with an average of 0.6 and a maximum of 11 pharmaceuticals exceeding in a Key West individual. The number of pharmaceuticals (49 detected in total) differed across regions, but the risk of pharmacological effects did not (23 pharmaceuticals exceeded the 1/3 HTPC threshold). The most common pharmaceuticals were venlafaxine (43 bonefish), atenolol (36), naloxone (27), codeine (27), and trimethoprim (24). Findings suggest that pharmaceutical detections and concentration may be independent, emphasizing the need to monitor risk to biota regardless of exposure diversity, and to focus on risk quantified at the individual level. This study supports the widespread presence of pharmaceuticals in marine systems and shows the utility of applying the HTPC to assess the potential for pharmacological effects, and thus quantify impact of exposure at large spatial scales.
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•Pharmaceuticals were detected in all fish from Caribbean coastal ecosystems.•49 of 102 pharmaceuticals detected and 23 exceeded the 1/3 HTPC.•39% of fish had pharmaceuticals at concentrations capable of pharmacological effects.•Number of detections and pharmaceutical concentrations varied across regions.•Exposure to pharmacologically active concentrations was unrelated to detections.