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Exposure to crack cocaine causes adverse effects on marine mussels Perna perna

Abstract:

Our study aimed to evaluate crack cocaine effects in different life stages of the marine mussel Perna perna. For this purpose, fertilization rate, embryo-larval development, lysosomal membrane stability and DNA strand breaks were assessed. Effect concentrations in gametes and in larval development were found after 1 h (IC50 = 23.53 mg·L− 1) and 48 h (IC50 = 16.31 mg·L− 1), respectively. The highest tested concentration showing no acute toxicity (NOEC) was 10 mg·L− 1, while the lowest observed effect concentration (LOEC) was 20 mg·L− 1. NOEC concerning embryo-larval development was 0.625 mg·L− 1, while the LOEC was 1.25 mg·L− 1. Cyto-genotoxic effects were evidenced in mussels exposed to crack cocaine concentrations ranging from 5 to 500 μg·L− 1. Our results report the first data on effects of an illicit drug to marine organisms and should encourage further ecotoxicological studies of these contaminants of emerging concern in coastal ecosystems.