The exposure to water with cigarette residue changes the anti-predator response in female Swiss albino mice

Abstract

Recent studies have shown that cigarette consumption affects much more than human health. Smoked cigarette butt (SCB) disposal into the environment can bring little-known negative biological consequences to mammals, since it contains many organic and inorganic toxic chemical constituents. Thus, we aim at assessing whether the ingestion of water with leached SCB for 60 days by female Swiss mice changes their defensive behavioral response to potential predators (cats and snakes). We worked with the following groups of animals: control (pollutant-free water), water with environmental concentration of SCB (1.9 μg/L of nicotine), and concentration 1000 times higher (EC1000×). Our data show that the treatments did not cause locomotor, visual, auditory, and olfactory deficit in the animals. However, we observed that the animals exposed to the pollutants did not present behavioral differences in the test session with or without the snake. On the other hand, animals in all groups showed defensive behavior when the test was conducted with the cat in the apparatus. However, female mice presented weaker response than the control. Thus, our data point towards the potential neurotoxic damage caused to mice who have ingested water with SCB residues, even at low concentrations.

Cigarette butt effects on diatom health in a stream ecosystem

“…Metals vary in leaching rates, with some (e.g., Pb, Ni, Zn) leaching primarily during the first day and others (e.g., Fe, Mn) continuing to leach over a 34-day period (Moerman and Potts 2011). This rapid leaching of CBs is reflected in the frequent use of a 24-h leaching period to produce effluent for toxicity tests (e.g., Micevska et al 2006;Lee and Lee, 2015;Cardoso, 2018;Micevska et al 2006;Osuala et al 2017;Slaughter et al 2011;Wright et al 2015;this study).…”

The ecological impacts of discarded cigarette butts

“…Three studies [56][57][58] so far have investigated the effects of cigarette butts directly on terrestrial vertebrates. Cardoso et al [56] examined predator avoidance behaviour in laboratory mouse (Mus musculus), growth and physiological responses (food and water consumption, locomotor activity, visual, auditory and olfactory functions) following provision drinking water containing leachate. A significant reduction in avoidance behaviour in response to the presence of domestic cats (Felis catus) or corn snakes (Pantherophis guttatus) was observed for exposed mice.…”

A Review of Environmental Pollution from the Use and Disposal of Cigarettes and Electronic Cigarettes: Contaminants, Sources, and Impacts

“…Little is known about the environmental toxicity of tobacco in mammalian wildlife; however, tobacco has long been known to be lethal to various mammals, and nicotine has been used in rodenticides. In vivo laboratory studies of nicotine toxicity have been conducted in a variety of mammalian species, particularly rats and mice, and demonstrated a wide range of effects, including acute toxicity, cell mutation, reproductive effects, and behavior changes [226]. Because rodents are an important part of the food chain in many environments, findings from animal models give some indication of the potential effects of exposure in the wild.…”