ECOTOXICOLOGICAL AND RESIDUAL EFFECTS OF FIRST-GENERATION CEPHALOSPORINS: AN INTEGRATIVE ANALYSIS
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.63330/aurumpub.065-012Keywords:
Aquatic ecotoxicology, Emerging contaminants, First-generation cephalosporins, Pharmaceutical residuesAbstract
This study aimed to synthesize evidence regarding the ecotoxicological and residual effects of first-generation cephalosporins in aquatic environments. The integrative review followed PRISMA 2020 guidelines, consulted PubMed and supplementary documents between February and July 2025, considered original articles published from 2015 to 2025, and applied inclusion criteria (experimental assays with first-generation cephalosporins) and exclusion criteria (reviews, later generations of cephalosporins). The analysis included three key studies evaluating the acute toxicity of ceftiofur and cefapirin on Daphnia magna, determining EC₅₀ and LC₅₀ values for ceftiofur and finding no significant effect for cefapirin up to 510 µM. UV-C phototransformation increased mortality and immobility only in cefapirin by-products. Another study described a characteristic response in Chlorella pyrenoidosa exposed to cefradine: stimulation of growth and chlorophyll a, followed by inhibition at higher concentrations. The third study predicted via QSAR that most cephalexin by-products exhibit reduced aquatic toxicity, with the exception of P7. The findings highlight a discrepancy between assay concentrations and environmental levels, underscore the importance of evaluating degradation products and hormetic patterns, and identify gaps regarding testing at relevant concentrations, pollutant mixtures, and in vivo validation of by-products. Recommendations include standardizing ecotoxicological protocols in real matrices, reviewing obtained values, and investigating advanced removal technologies to mitigate ecological and public health risks.
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