Effects of short-term exposure to fluoxetine and carbamazepine to the collembolan Folsomia candida

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 96 h exposure and biochemical changes (acetylcholinesterase and glutathione S-transferase activities, and lipid peroxidation levels) after 96 h. F. candida avoided soils spiked with 0.04, 0.4 and 4 mg carbamazepine kg−1 after 48 h. However, higher number of organisms were found in soils with 40 mg carbamazepine kg−1, a behavior also displayed for 40 mg fluoxetine kg−1 spiked soils. After 96 h, F. candida showed avoidance behavior to soils with 4 and 40 mg carbamazepine kg−1. Acetylcholinesterase activity decreased in 0.4 mg fluoxetine kg−1 exposed organisms. Peroxidative damages were detected in organisms exposed to 4 and 40 mg kg−1 carbamazepine and glutathione S-transferase inhibition was observed at 40 mg kg−1. Data suggests that carbamazepine and fluoxetine may pose risk to soil collembolan.