Dataset to project MINIATURA 5 funded by the National Science Centre, Poland (grant number 2021/05/X/NZ8/01047)

Abstract

Drug residues in the aquatic environment are a growing concern. The active ingredients of pharmaceuticals, such as antibiotics, hormonal agents or painkillers, can have negative effects on aquatic ecosystems and the organisms living in them. The research conducted was aimed at assessing the ecotoxicological risks associated with the use of bisoprolol and ketoprofen. The implementation of the above-mentioned studies was based on toxicological tests to determine the effect of selected drugs on the growth of Chlorella vulgaris and Desmodesmus armatus. The results that were obtained are alarming, as they show that the tested drugs have a negative impact on the tested species. Among other things, they cause inhibition of the growth of these organisms and a reduction in chlorophyll a content compared to control cultures. Ketoprofen proved to be particularly harmful. The tested pharmaceuticals induced oxidative stress in the mentioned microorganisms, as indicated by changes in the activity of antioxidant enzymes (catalase, peroxidase, superoxide dismutase, malondialdehyde). Profile area analyses showed that bisoprolol and ketoprofen treated C. vulgaris cells were approximately 4 and 2 times greater compared to control ones. Our experimental findings highlight the ecotoxicological threats for aquatic primary producers from bisoprolol and ketoprofen and provide insight into the characteristics of their death.