Indirect Effects of Antibiotics in the Aquatic Environment: A Laboratory Study on Detritivore Food Selection Behavior

Hahn, Torsten; Schulz, Ralf

doi:10.1080/10807030701341092

Cited by 33 publications

(26 citation statements)

References 24 publications

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“…Another example of indirect effects of antibiotics was reported by Hahn and Schulz (2007). Results of food selection experiments with Gammarus pulex demonstrated clear preferences for leaves conditioned in the absence vs. those conditioned in the presence of two antibiotics, oxytetracycline and sulfadiazine.…”

Section: Indirect Effectsmentioning

confidence: 89%

The presence of pharmaceuticals in the environment due to human use – present knowledge and future challenges

Kümmerer

2009

Journal of Environmental Management

1,123

473

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Section: Indirect Effectsmentioning

confidence: 89%

The presence of pharmaceuticals in the environment due to human use – present knowledge and future challenges

Kümmerer

2009

Journal of Environmental Management

1,123

473

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“…Moreover, G. pulex preferred leaves conditioned at an uncontaminated site, while rejecting leaves exposed to a mixture of metals and aromatic hydrocarbons as found in motorway runoff [17]. If so, alteration of microbial communities would be expected to affect the food choice of Gammarus feeding on decomposing leaves exposed to antibiotics in a similar way [12]. If so, alteration of microbial communities would be expected to affect the food choice of Gammarus feeding on decomposing leaves exposed to antibiotics in a similar way [12].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 97%

Antibiotics as a chemical stressor affecting an aquatic decomposer–detritivore system

Bundschuh

Hahn

Gessner

et al. 2009

Enviro Toxic and Chemistry

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Recent evidence indicates that a variety of antibiotic residues may affect the integrity of streams located downstream from wastewater treatment plants. Aquatic communities comprising bacterial and fungal decomposers and invertebrate detritivores (shredders) play an important role in the decomposition of allochthonous leaf litter, which acts as a primary energy source for small running waters. The aim of the present study was to assess whether an antibiotic mixture consisting of sulfamethoxazole, trimethoprim, erythromycin-H2O, roxithromycin, and clarithromycin has an effect on such a decomposer-detritivore system. Leaf discs were exposed to these antibiotics (total concentration of 2 or 200 microg/L) for approximately 20 d before offering these discs and corresponding control discs to an amphipod shredder, Gammarus fossarum, in a food choice experiment. Gammarus preferred the leaf discs conditioned in the presence of the antibiotic mixture at 200 microg/L over the control discs (pair-wise t test; p = 0.006). A similar tendency, while not significant, was observed for leaves conditioned with antibiotics at a concentration of 2 microg/L. The number of bacteria associated with leaves did not differ between treatments at either antibiotic concentration (t test; p = 0.57). In contrast, fungal biomass (measured as ergosterol) was significantly higher in the 200 microg/L treatment (t test; p = 0.038), suggesting that the preference of Gammarus may be related to a shift in fungal communities. Overall these results indicate that mixtures of antibiotics may disrupt important ecosystem processes such as organic matter flow in stream ecosystems, although effects are likely to be weak at antibiotic concentrations typical of streams receiving wastewater treatment plant effluents.

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“…Since H. azteca also feeds on sediment particles, this observation might be caused by a lower palatability of the sediment itself for H. azteca (cp. Hargrave 1970) in contaminated relative to uncontaminated sediment, which is supported by the highly selective feeding pattern-also in response to adsorbed chemical stressorsreported for amphipods (e.g., Hahn and Schulz 2007). In our earlier study, we observed a substantial decrease in detrital processing by H. azteca when exposed to sediment from the same site but featuring a higher Hg concentration (Bundschuh et al 2011a).…”

Section: Hg Bioaccumulation In Hyalellamentioning

confidence: 75%

Effects of two sorbents applied to mercury-contaminated river sediments on bioaccumulation in and detrital processing by Hyalella azteca

et al. 2015

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Purpose Mercury (Hg) released into the environment often accumulates to high concentrations in sediments, creating a potential risk to aquatic wildlife. The in situ application of sorbents such as activated carbon is one promising option for reducing the bioavailability of sediment-bound Hg. Materials and methods The present study evaluates the influence of contact time of two sorbents (Sedimite ® and Cowboy ® biochar) applied to sediment taken downstream and upstream of a historic Hg discharge into the South River (Virginia, USA) on bioaccumulation in and detrital processing by Hyalella azteca. Results and discussion Hg bioaccumulation decreased when sediments were mixed with both sorbents, but their respective efficiency depended on their initial particle size and contact time. Hyalella showed a slight increase in detrital processing and substantial increase in Hg bioaccumulation when exposed to contaminated relative to uncontaminated sediment.Sedimite ® adversely affected detrital processing but reduced Hg bioaccumulation. In contrast, Cowboy ® biochar did not impact detrital processing but appeared to decrease bioaccumulation less effectively than Sedimite ® . This difference in sorbent efficacy lessened with duration. It remains unclear whether the Sedimite ® -induced reduction in detrital processing is substantially worse than that associated with natural fines settling on detritus in depositional reaches of rivers. Conclusions The differences in efficacy of the two materials in reducing bioavailability suggest the need for further studies addressing both the mechanisms causing the reduction in Hg bioavailability as well as associated ecological risks prior to field application of these materials at the larger scale.

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Indirect Effects of Antibiotics in the Aquatic Environment: A Laboratory Study on Detritivore Food Selection Behavior

Cited by 33 publications

References 24 publications

The presence of pharmaceuticals in the environment due to human use – present knowledge and future challenges

The presence of pharmaceuticals in the environment due to human use – present knowledge and future challenges

Antibiotics as a chemical stressor affecting an aquatic decomposer–detritivore system

Effects of two sorbents applied to mercury-contaminated river sediments on bioaccumulation in and detrital processing by Hyalella azteca

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