The effects of emerging contaminants on the reproductive function of marine invertebrates

Abstract

Within the environment and living organisms, emerging contaminants (ECs) are progressively detected and identified, yet effects of exposure thereof are largely unknown to the general population. The release of contaminants into the environment has shown to pose a threat to reproductive health. The marine ecosystem is presumably the final sink for a large amount of land-based chemicals, where marine species including invertebrates are continuously exposed to these contaminants. Moreover, as marine invertebrates undergo external fertilization, their gametes are at an increased risk of effects proposed to exposed contaminants. This study was set out to investigate the effects of five emerging contaminants at environmentally relevant concentrations (ng/L) detected in the False Bay area of Cape Town, South Africa, on the sperm function of two marine invertebrates’ species. Effects of diclofenac, naproxen, sulfamethoxazole, atrazine and chlorpyrifos was assessed on Parechinus angulosus and Crassostrea gigas spermatozoa.