Title: Toxicological effects of the emerging contaminant ivermectin on Physalaemus santafecinus larvae

Authors: Julieta Peluso; Carolina M. Aronzon; Agostina Martinez Chehda; Melisa S. Olivelli; Ana Paula Cuzziol Boccioni; Rafael C. Lajmanovich; Paola M. Peltzer

Addresses: IIIA-UNSAM-CONICET, Instituto de Investigación e Ingeniería Ambiental, Escuela de Hábitat y Sostenibilidad (EHyS), Universidad Nacional de San Martín (UNSAM), Campus Miguelete, 25 de mayo y Francia, 1650-San Martín, Provincia de Buenos Aires, Argentina ' IIIA-UNSAM-CONICET, Instituto de Investigación e Ingeniería Ambiental, Escuela de Hábitat y Sostenibilidad (EHyS), Universidad Nacional de San Martín (UNSAM), Campus Miguelete, 25 de mayo y Francia, 1650-San Martín, Provincia de Buenos Aires, Argentina ' IIIA-UNSAM-CONICET, Instituto de Investigación e Ingeniería Ambiental, Escuela de Hábitat y Sostenibilidad (EHyS), Universidad Nacional de San Martín (UNSAM), Campus Miguelete, 25 de mayo y Francia, 1650-San Martín, Provincia de Buenos Aires, Argentina ' IIIA-UNSAM-CONICET, Instituto de Investigación e Ingeniería Ambiental, Escuela de Hábitat y Sostenibilidad (EHyS), Universidad Nacional de San Martín (UNSAM), Campus Miguelete, 25 de mayo y Francia, 1650-San Martín, Provincia de Buenos Aires, Argentina ' Facultad de Bioquímica y Ciencias Biológicas, Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), Argentina ' Facultad de Bioquímica y Ciencias Biológicas, Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), Argentina ' Facultad de Bioquímica y Ciencias Biológicas, Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), Argentina

Abstract: Ivermectin (IVM) is an antiparasitic extensively employed in cattle breeding for decades. It can reach aquatic ecosystems and produce negative effects on non-target organisms. So, the aim was to evaluate the effects on survival and behaviour of a commercial formulation of IVM on Physalaemus santafecinus larvae. Behavioural parameters were assessed at 72 h and 96 h. The 96h-LC50 was 3.48 μg/L decreasing significantly to 0.74 μg/L at 120 h. The risk quotient for IVM was 167.56 at 120 h, which indicates the high environmental risk. At 72 h of exposure, only the 100 μg/L IVM concentration produced alterations on the behavioural parameters such as swim speed and distance, and the exploration and mobility rate, while at 96 h, even the lowest concentration (1 μg/L) altered some parameters. The lethal and behavioural effects were time dependent. Ivermectin was highly toxic to P. santafecinus larvae, causing alterations on their behaviour at acute exposure times and lethality at environmentally relevant concentrations.

Keywords: toxicological effects; emerging contaminant; ivermectin; Physalaemus santafecinus; behavioural effects.

DOI: 10.1504/IJENVH.2024.144133

International Journal of Environment and Health, 2024 Vol.11 No.2, pp.90 - 102

Received: 12 Apr 2023
Accepted: 08 Jan 2024
Published online: 28 Jan 2025 *

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