TY - JOUR

T1 - Biodegradation of the Antineoplastics Vindesine, Vincristine, and Vinblastine and their Toxicity against Bacteria in the Aquatic Environment

AU - Al-Ahmad, Ali

AU - Kümmerer, Klaus

PY - 2001

Y1 - 2001

N2 - Antineoplastics are excreted into sewage, because patients often poorly metabolize them after administration or they are metabolized into more biologically reactive metabolites. There is little information on their biodegradation and toxicity in aquatic environments. Therefore, the biodegradability of the vinca alkaloids, and their toxicity towards wastewater bacteria were investigated in this study. The biodegradability of vindesine, vincristine, and vinblastine was examined in the closed bottle test (CBT). Additionally, the biodegradability of vinblastine as a model compound of the vinca alkaloids was tested in the Zahn-Wellens test (ZWT). The growth inhibition test with Pseudomonas putida was conducted, and a toxicity control in the CBT and the ZWT was used. The colony-forming units were monitored in the CBT; the test results for the biodegradability after 28 days were: 30% for vincristine, 20% for vindesine, and 10% for vinblastine. Therefore, none of the test compounds met the criteria for being readily biodegradable (> or = 60%). Vinblastine was biodegraded up to 18% in the ZWT after 40 days, and therefore, not inherently. Toxicity towards wastewater bacteria was not found.

AB - Antineoplastics are excreted into sewage, because patients often poorly metabolize them after administration or they are metabolized into more biologically reactive metabolites. There is little information on their biodegradation and toxicity in aquatic environments. Therefore, the biodegradability of the vinca alkaloids, and their toxicity towards wastewater bacteria were investigated in this study. The biodegradability of vindesine, vincristine, and vinblastine was examined in the closed bottle test (CBT). Additionally, the biodegradability of vinblastine as a model compound of the vinca alkaloids was tested in the Zahn-Wellens test (ZWT). The growth inhibition test with Pseudomonas putida was conducted, and a toxicity control in the CBT and the ZWT was used. The colony-forming units were monitored in the CBT; the test results for the biodegradability after 28 days were: 30% for vincristine, 20% for vindesine, and 10% for vinblastine. Therefore, none of the test compounds met the criteria for being readily biodegradable (> or = 60%). Vinblastine was biodegraded up to 18% in the ZWT after 40 days, and therefore, not inherently. Toxicity towards wastewater bacteria was not found.

KW - ACCLIMATION

KW - antineoplastic

KW - antineoplastics

KW - aquatic

KW - aquatic environment

KW - AQUATIC ENVIRONMENTS

KW - bacteria

KW - BACTERIUM

KW - biodegradability

KW - Biodegradation

KW - BOTTLE TEST OECD-301-D

KW - Closed Bottle Test

KW - COMPOUND

KW - Control

KW - CYCLOPHOSPHAMIDE

KW - Degradation

KW - DRUGS

KW - ENVIRONMENT

KW - GERMANY

KW - GROWTH

KW - IFOSFAMIDE

KW - Information

KW - Inhibition

KW - Metabolite

KW - METABOLITES

KW - MODEL

KW - PATIENT

KW - Pseudomonas

KW - Pseudomonas putida

KW - PSEUDOMONAS-PUTIDA

KW - sewage

KW - SEWAGE WATER

KW - Test

KW - TOXICITIES

KW - toxicity

KW - UNIT

KW - UNITS

KW - USA

KW - vinca alkaloids

KW - wastewater

KW - Zahn-Wellens Test

KW - Chemistry

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=0035236172&partnerID=8YFLogxK

M3 - Journal articles

VL - 25

SP - 102

EP - 107

JO - Cancer Epidemiology

JF - Cancer Epidemiology

SN - 0361-090X

IS - 1

ER -