Do pharmaceuticals affect microbial communities in aquatic environments? A review
Pharmaceuticals have been identified as a significant threat to the environment. Their constant flow into aquatic ecosystems means that organisms are chronically exposed. To date, there has been a large number of scientific papers assessing the impact of pharmaceuticals on individual organisms from...
Main Authors: | , , , |
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Format: | Article |
Language: | English |
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Frontiers Media S.A.
2023-01-01
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Series: | Frontiers in Environmental Science |
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Online Access: | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fenvs.2022.1093920/full |
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author | Klaudia Świacka Jakub Maculewicz Dorota Kowalska Michael R. Grace |
author_facet | Klaudia Świacka Jakub Maculewicz Dorota Kowalska Michael R. Grace |
author_sort | Klaudia Świacka |
collection | DOAJ |
description | Pharmaceuticals have been identified as a significant threat to the environment. Their constant flow into aquatic ecosystems means that organisms are chronically exposed. To date, there has been a large number of scientific papers assessing the impact of pharmaceuticals on individual organisms from different taxonomic groups. However, the effects of drugs on the environment can be much broader than what can be determined in toxicity tests on individual organisms. These compounds can disrupt entire communities. In this context, special attention should be paid to microbial communities, which regulate many essential processes underpinning aquatic food webs and ecosystem services. This paper reviews current developments related to the effects of pharmaceuticals on microorganisms with a particular focus on whole-community investigations, in both fresh and salt water. We also summarize the opportunities associated with both in situ and laboratory studies, and highlight important knowledge gaps. |
first_indexed | 2024-04-10T23:52:06Z |
format | Article |
id | doaj.art-19e746eec2e8405886a716a2589f83de |
institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
issn | 2296-665X |
language | English |
last_indexed | 2024-04-10T23:52:06Z |
publishDate | 2023-01-01 |
publisher | Frontiers Media S.A. |
record_format | Article |
series | Frontiers in Environmental Science |
spelling | doaj.art-19e746eec2e8405886a716a2589f83de2023-01-10T15:12:28ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Environmental Science2296-665X2023-01-011010.3389/fenvs.2022.10939201093920Do pharmaceuticals affect microbial communities in aquatic environments? A reviewKlaudia Świacka0Jakub Maculewicz1Dorota Kowalska2Michael R. Grace3Department of Marine Ecosystems Functioning, Institute of Oceanography, University of Gdansk, Gdynia, PolandDepartment of Environmental Analysis, Faculty of Chemistry, University of Gdansk, Gdansk, PolandDepartment of Environmental Analysis, Faculty of Chemistry, University of Gdansk, Gdansk, PolandWater Studies Centre, School of Chemistry, Monash University, Melbourne, Vic, AustraliaPharmaceuticals have been identified as a significant threat to the environment. Their constant flow into aquatic ecosystems means that organisms are chronically exposed. To date, there has been a large number of scientific papers assessing the impact of pharmaceuticals on individual organisms from different taxonomic groups. However, the effects of drugs on the environment can be much broader than what can be determined in toxicity tests on individual organisms. These compounds can disrupt entire communities. In this context, special attention should be paid to microbial communities, which regulate many essential processes underpinning aquatic food webs and ecosystem services. This paper reviews current developments related to the effects of pharmaceuticals on microorganisms with a particular focus on whole-community investigations, in both fresh and salt water. We also summarize the opportunities associated with both in situ and laboratory studies, and highlight important knowledge gaps.https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fenvs.2022.1093920/fulldrugstoxicityemerging contaminantsmicroorganismsmicrobesbiofilm |
spellingShingle | Klaudia Świacka Jakub Maculewicz Dorota Kowalska Michael R. Grace Do pharmaceuticals affect microbial communities in aquatic environments? A review Frontiers in Environmental Science drugs toxicity emerging contaminants microorganisms microbes biofilm |
title | Do pharmaceuticals affect microbial communities in aquatic environments? A review |
title_full | Do pharmaceuticals affect microbial communities in aquatic environments? A review |
title_fullStr | Do pharmaceuticals affect microbial communities in aquatic environments? A review |
title_full_unstemmed | Do pharmaceuticals affect microbial communities in aquatic environments? A review |
title_short | Do pharmaceuticals affect microbial communities in aquatic environments? A review |
title_sort | do pharmaceuticals affect microbial communities in aquatic environments a review |
topic | drugs toxicity emerging contaminants microorganisms microbes biofilm |
url | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fenvs.2022.1093920/full |
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