Mussels get higher: A study on the occurrence of cocaine and benzoylecgonine in seawater, sediment and mussels from a subtropical ecosystem (Santos Bay, Brazil)

Author(s)

Fontes, Mayana Karoline ^[1] ; de Campos, Bruno Galvao ^[1] ; Cortez, Fernando Sanzi ^[2] ; Pusceddu, Fabio Hermes ^[2] ; Nobre, Caio Rodrigues ^[1] ; Moreno, Beatriz Barbosa ^[3] ; Lebre, Daniel Temponi ^[4] ; Maranho, Luciane Alves ^[2] ; Seabra Pereira, Camilo Dias ^{[2, 3]}

Affiliation

^[1] Univ Estadual Paulista, Inst Biociencias, Campus Litoral Paulista, BR-11330900 Sao Vicente - Brazil

^[2] Univ Santa Cecilia, Lab Ecotoxicol, Rua Oswaldo Cruz 266, BR-11045907 Santos, SP - Brazil

^[3] Univ Fed Sao Paulo, Dept Ciencias Mar, Rua Maria Maximo 168, BR-11030100 Santos, SP - Brazil

^[4] CIETEC IPEN, CEMSA Ctr Espectrometria Massas Aplicada, Av Prof Lineu Prestes 2242, BR-05508000 Sao Paulo - Brazil

• Document type: Journal article
• Source: Science of The Total Environment; v. 757, FEB 25 2021.
• Web of Science Citations: 2

Abstract

Data on the occurrence of cocaine (COC) and benzoylecgonine (BE) in marine environmental compartments are still limited, with few studies reporting superficial water contamination, mainly in tropical zones. In this sense, environmental data of these substances are essential to identify potential polluting sources, as well as their impact in costal ecosystems. The aim of this study was to evaluate the occurrence of COC and BE in seawater, sediment and mussels from a subtropical coastal zone (Santos Bay, Sao Paulo, Brazil), as well as to determine a field measured Bioaccumulation Factor (BAF). COC and BE were detected in all water samples in concentrations ranging from 1.91 ng.L-1 to 12.52 ng.L-1 and 9.88 ng.L-1 to 28.53 ng.L-1, respectively. In sediments, only COC was quantified in concentrations ranging from 0.94 ng.g(-1) to 46.85 ng.g(-1). Similarly, only COC was detected in tissues of mussels 0.914 mu g.kg(-1 )to 4.58 mu g.kg(-1) (ww). The field-measured BAF ranged from 163 to 1454 (L.kg(-1)). Our results pointed out a widespread contamination by cocaine and its main human metabolite benzoylecgonine in Santos Bay. Mussels were able to accumulate COC in areas used by residents and tourists for bathing, fishing, and harvest, denoting concern to human health. Therefore, our data can be considered a preliminary assessment, which indicates the need to evaluate drugs (including illicit as COC) in environmental and seafood monitoring programs, in order to understand their risks on the ecosystem and human health. (C) 2020 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved. (AU)

• FAPESP's process: 15/17329-0 - Ecotoxicological study and environmental risk assessment of illicit drugs in marine ecosystems
• Grantee: Camilo Dias Seabra Pereira
• Support Opportunities: Regular Research Grants
• FAPESP's process: 16/24033-3 - Ecotoxicological study and environmental risk assessment of cocaine in marine ecosystems
• Grantee: Mayana Karoline Fontes
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Doctorate