Ecotoxicity of the veterinary pharmaceutical ivermectin tested in a soil multi-species (SMS) system

The present study tests the effect of antiparasitic compound ivermectin in a constructed food-web system, a soil multi-species (SMS) higher tier test system. Mutualism, competition and predation within the SMS system were introduced by the addition of five collembolan species, one enchytraeid and a predatory mite species. Bait lamina sticks were incorporated as a measure of functional toxicity, attempting to the integrated feeding activity of the invertebrates. The study showed that on the community level all treatments were significantly affecting the community abundance and composition and that the decrease in abundance corresponded well with increasing exposure concentration for all species. Since all concentrations had significant adverse effect on the community structure, the community-based no-effect-concentration is below the lowest test concentration of 0.25 mg kg−1, whereas the EC10 for the individual species were as low as 0.05 mg kg−1. The bait lamina respond was only affected at the highest exposure concentration.

► A multi-species test system was used to evaluate the impact of hazardous substances.
► The pharmaceutical ivermectin was toxic to a wide set of soil invertebrates.
► The toxicity to springtails was higher when exposed in co-existence with a predator.
► Structural endpoints were more sensitive than functional ditto measured by Bait lamina.