Avaliação ecotoxicológica do antirretroviral raltegravir em Microcystis novacekii, Chlorella vulgaris e Artemia salina.

Abstract

The increasing consumption of pharmaceuticals has contributed to the presence of pharmaceutical residues in water bodies, raising concerns about the ecological consequences of these emerging contaminants in aquatic ecosystems. This situation is further exacerbated by the low global sanitation coverage and the inefficiency of conventional wastewater treatment systems in completely removing these substances. Among these compounds, antiretrovirals (ARVs), widely used in the treatment of HIV, stand out. Raltegravir (RAL), the first integrase inhibitor approved for clinical use, has been detected in wastewater, although its environmental impacts remain poorly understood. In this context, the objective of this study was to assess the toxicity of a pharmaceutical formulation containing raltegravir potassium (MCR), both alone and in combination with a formulation containing dolutegravir (MCD), on the aquatic organisms Microcystis novacekii, Chlorella vulgaris, and Artemia salina. The bioassays followed standardized protocols (ABNT NBR 12648:2018 and NBR 16530:2021), with exposure concentrations ranging from 6 to 102 mg/L. The cyanobacterium M. novacekii was the most sensitive species, with CE50 values of 44.56 ± 1.77 mg/L for MCR alone and 20.96 ± 0.95 mg/L for the MCR + MCD combination, suggesting a synergistic effect. The microalga C. vulgaris showed stimulated growth at all tested concentrations, while the microcrustacean A. salina exhibited low sensitivity, with no significant immobility observed up to 100 mg/L. The environmental risk assessment, based on predicted environmental concentration (PEC) data and CE50 values from this study, indicated high risk associated with RAL under simulated scenarios (Brazil, Portugal, and South Africa). The results suggest that although MCR is classified as slightly toxic according to the Globally Harmonized System of Classification and Labelling of Chemicals (GHS), its continuous presence and potential synergism with other ARVs may pose risks to aquatic biota, highlighting the need for environmental monitoring and regulatory action.