Our study aimed to evaluate crack cocaine effects in different life stages of the marine mussel Perna perna. For this purpose, fertilization rate, embryo-larval development, lysosomal membrane stability and DNA strand breaks were assessed. Effect concentrations in gametes and in larval development were found after 1h (IC=23.53mg·L) and 48h (IC=16.31mg·L), respectively. The highest tested concentration showing no acute toxicity (NOEC) was 10mg·L, while the lowest observed effect concentration (LOEC) was 20mg·L. NOEC concerning embryo-larval development was 0.625mg·L, while the LOEC was 1.25mg·L. Cyto-genotoxic effects were evidenced in mussels exposed to crack cocaine concentrations ranging from 5 to 500μg·L. Our results report the first data on effects of an illicit drug to marine organisms and should encourage further ecotoxicological studies of these contaminants of emerging concern in coastal ecosystems.
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