Acute toxicity and genotoxicity assessment of environmental contaminants using Artemia salina

Abstract

The widespread presence of pharmaceuticals and industrial pollutants in aquatic environments necessitates rapid screening tools capable of detecting hazards and adverse biological effects. In this study, we selected the nauplii of Artemia salina (brine shrimp) as a model to screen for the acute toxicity and genotoxicity of three cytostatics (5-fluorouracil, cisplatin, and etoposide), one pesticide (glyphosate), one surfactant (benzalkonium chloride), and one antifouling agent (tributyltin chloride), all applied in graded concentrations for 24 and 48 h. Acute toxicity was quantified by determining median lethal concentrations (LC₅₀), and the genotoxicity of cytostatics was assessed using the alkaline comet assay. All substances caused concentration and time-dependent mortality. Among cytostatics, cisplatin was the most toxic (48 h LC₅₀≈35 µg/mL), followed by etoposide (~130 µg/mL), while 5-fluorouracil was the least toxic (>500 µg/mL). Tributyltin chloride showed the strongest effect among non-pharmaceuticals (0.55 µg/mL), followed by benzalkonium chloride (~7.5 µg/mL) and glyphosate (~43 µg/mL). Cytostatics induced concentration-dependent DNA damage, with etoposide exhibiting the highest tail intensity (~60 %). These findings demonstrate that A. salina is an effective model for early, cost-effective hazard screening and highlight the importance of including genotoxic endpoints, particularly when assessing chemicals with DNA-targeting mechanisms.