Inhibitory Effects of Antipsychotic Chlorpromazine on the Survival, Reproduction and Population Growth Other Than Neurotransmitters of Zooplankton in Light of Global Warming

Abstract

Global warming and environmental pollution have created a unique combination of abiotic and biotic stresses to zooplankton. However, little information is available on the effects of antipsychotic drugs commonly used to treat psychosis, such as chlorpromazine (CPZ), on non-target aquatic organisms in light of global warming. This study investigated how dopamine concentrations (DAC), acute toxicity and chronic toxicity of Brachionus calyciflorus changed in response to CPZ and gradually increasing temperatures. The results showed that the concentration range of rotifer DAC was 1.06~2.51 ng/g. At 18, 25 and 32 °C, the 24 h LC50 was 1.795, 1.242 and 0.833 mg/L, respectively. Compared to the control, exposure to CPZ significantly decreased life expectancy at hatching, the net reproduction rate, generation time, population growth rate and dopamine concentration of B. calyciflorus in all three temperatures (p < 0.05). The toxicity of CPZ to rotifers was increased by high temperature. These findings indicated that CPZ is highly toxic to rotifers, displaying high ecological risks to aquatic ecosystems.