Ensaios ecotoxicológicos aplicados a avaliação de resíduos da produção de medicamentos veterinários

Abstract

The growing market for veterinary medicines makes this industry invest in new technologies and products with lower environmental impacts, because veterinary drug residues have been detected in several compartments. Tests for acute and chronic toxicity allow the detection of the harmful effects of toxic substances in very low concentrations. In this context, the aim of this study was to evaluate the toxicity raw and treated effluent generated in the production of veterinary medicines, employing ecotoxicological tests. There were performed five samplings between October of 2011 and July of 2012, in a veterinary pharmaceutical industry. Samples of raw effluent, chemically treated and biologically treated were collected and subjected to acute toxicity tests with D. similis (NBR 12713), chronic toxicity with C. dubia (NBR 13373). Endpoints evaluated in these tests were the immobility and the reproduction of microcrustaceans (D. simillis and C. dubia). All samples of raw and treated effluent showed high acute toxicity to D. similis. In chronic tests with C. dubia, there was an even greater toxicity, according to the type of effluent in a large part of performed samplings. The raw and chemically treated effluents showed significant toxicity and general biological treatment was able to reduce the effects observed. Adjustments in treatment will be necessary for complete elimination of this toxicity of effluents in this industry.