6533b82cfe1ef96bd128ec63

RESEARCH PRODUCT

Effects of Sulfamethoxazole on Fertilization and Embryo Development in the Arbacia lixula Sea Urchin

Valentina LazzaraManuela MauroMonica CeliGaetano CammilleriAiti VizziniClaudio LuparelloPaola BelliniVincenzo FerrantelliMirella Vazzana

subject

echinodermGeneral Veterinaryantibiotic; echinoderms; embryos; environmental toxicity; gametes; invertebratesantibioticSettore BIO/05 - ZoologiaembryogameteAnimal Science and Zoologyenvironmental toxicitySettore BIO/06 - Anatomia Comparata E Citologiainvertebrates

description

To date, drugs released into the aquatic environment are a real problem, and among antibiotics, sulfamethoxazole is the one most widely found in wastewater; thus, the evaluation of its toxicity on marine organisms is very important. This study, for the first time, investigates the in vitro effects of 4 concentrations of sulfamethoxazole (0.05 mg/L, 0.5 mg/L, 5 mg/L, 50 mg/L) on the fertilization and development of the sea urchin Arbacia lixula. The gametes were exposed to drugs in three different stages: simultaneously with, prior to, and post-fertilization. The results show a significant reduction in the percentage of fertilized oocytes at the highest drug concentrations. Moreover, an increase in anomalies and delays in embryo development following the treatment with the drug was demonstrated. Therefore, the data suggest that this antibiotic can alter the development of marine organisms, making it urgent to act to reduce their release and to determine the concentration range with the greatest impact.

10.3390/ani12182483https://hdl.handle.net/10447/568983