Oliveira_2014_Chemosphere_120C_86

Pharmaceuticals, emerging environmental contaminants, have their ecotoxicological effects to non-target organisms in soil largely unknown. This study assessed short-term effects of two human pharmaceuticals, carbamazepine and fluoxetine, to Folsomia candida. Avoidance to spiked soils was assessed after 48 and 96h exposure and biochemical changes (acetylcholinesterase and glutathione S-transferase activities, and lipid peroxidation levels) after 96h. F. candida avoided soils spiked with 0.04, 0.4 and 4mg carbamazepine kg-1 after 48h. However, higher number of organisms were found in soils with 40mg carbamazepine kg-1, a behavior also displayed for 40mg fluoxetine kg-1 spiked soils. After 96h, F. candida showed avoidance behavior to soils with 4 and 40mg carbamazepine kg-1. Acetylcholinesterase activity decreased in 0.4mg fluoxetine kg-1 exposed organisms. Peroxidative damages were detected in organisms exposed to 4 and 40mgkg-1 carbamazepine and glutathione S-transferase inhibition was observed at 40mgkg-1. Data suggests that carbamazepine and fluoxetine may pose risk to soil collembolan.