Acute Toxic effects of Disposable Personal Hygiene Products on Daphnia magna

Aquatic ecosystems are increasingly exposed to pollution factors due to increasing human populations and technological developments in industrial production. Covid-19 pandemic has led to a notable increase in demand for personal hygiene products, which has consequently resulted in a significant rise in production levels in recent years. The use of disposable wet wipes has gained momentum with this trend. These versatile products have a wide range of applications, primarily in surface cleaning and personal hygiene. However, detailed information on the chemical compositions of these wipes and their effects on aquatic organisms is lacking. Existing toxicological studies have focused on the effects of a single toxic substance. Research on the combined effects is very limited. This study aimed to assess the acute toxicity of two wet wipe brands, WWA and WWB, on Daphnia magna. Each product was tested at 6 different concentrations: 100 ppm, 500 ppm, 1000 ppm, 2000 ppm, 4000 ppm and 8000 ppm. EC50 values for both brands were determined by probit analysis. The EC50 values for 24 and 48 h for WWA were 1259 ppm and 794 ppm, whereas the EC50 values for 24 and 48 h for WWB were 537 ppm. WWB was more toxic at lower concentrations according to the probit analysis results. To ensure the protection of aquatic ecosystems, the potential pathways by which these chemicals may contaminate aquatic systems must be identified and their levels in water should be monitored on a regular basis.