There is a growing body of literature that suggests pharmaceutical contamination is an increasing risk to marine ecosystems particularly for countries such as Indonesia. However, no data exists concerning the level and nature of that risk. Building on this reasoning, my research will investigate the ecotoxicological effects of paracetamol, chlorpheniramine maleate, and amoxicillin to marine bivalves. The single and combined effects of these three most commonly used pharmaceuticals in Indonesia coupled with their interaction with physical parameters will be extensively studied both on adult and early life stages of mussels. These effects will be investigated at cytological, histological, and molecular level (trancriptomics), and whether the impacts can be transferred to mussel’s progeny (epigenetics).
This study will also attempt to detect the presence of these pharmaceuticals in Indonesian coastal areas and the potential of using selected adsorbent biomaterials in the removal process, as an insight into available options for tackling this issue. Thus, the study aims to be a comprehensive and integrative assessment of the short and long term effects of those pharmaceuticals in the marine environment and the possible consequences for survival of coastal marine species.
Funder: Ministry of Research, Technology and Higher Education of Republic of Indonesia (MRTHE)