Toxicological studies of fungicides frequently detected in drinking water using in vitro biological models

Literature data indicate the presence of fungicides in drinking water. This is one of the key routes of human exposure to these potentially toxic compounds. In previous work, we demonstrated the EDC effect of boscalid. In this study we focused on examining its potential toxicity and mechanisms of carcinogenic activity in human intestinal and skin cancer. We analyzed the cytotoxicity of boscalid in two cancer lines: DLD-1 and A-375. We studied the parameters of oxidative stress, interactions with cell membranes and changes in the morphology in two tested cell lines. A significant strong positive correlation was observed between relative cell viability and SOD1, GPX1 expression and ROS levels. The presented data may indicate that boscalid, which may enter human body with drinking water, contributes to the development of the examined types of cancer by stimulating oxidative stress. This may mean that boscalid belongs to a group of important and dangerous micropollutants occurring in the environment and affecting the human body. The obtained results, although they should be extended in the future with further in vivo analyses, may be initially helpful in analysing whether fungicides and their residues in drinking water and food products may pose a potential risk to humans.