Effects of triclosan at different salinity levels on swimming behavior, reproduction, and antioxidant status in the marine rotifer Brachionus plicatilis

Many cosmetics, toothpaste, medical devices, disinfectants, and household products use triclosan (TCS) as an antibacterial compound. However, many studies have shown increased ecotoxicity in various freshwater and marine ecosystems upon exposure to TCS. Rotifers are zooplankton that significantly impact the ecological processes of the ecosystem to which they belong. Rotifers are also popular in ecotoxicity studies because they have short lifespans, are small and inexpensive, are simple to culture in the laboratory, and make up a substantial percentage of the marine zooplankton community. This research article focuses on how toxic TCS affects rotifers at various salt concentrations. The locomotor and reproductive activity were accessed, and antioxidant activity and lipid peroxidation assays were performed to investigate the effect of TCS on the oxidative status of the rotifer. It was observed that there was a significant change in locomotor activity (swimming speed in μm/sec), oxidative stress marks such as antioxidant defense (superoxide dismutase, catalase, glutathione-S-transferase activity in U/ mg protein), and lipid peroxidation (thiobarbituric acid reactive substances in μM/mg protein) in rotifers when exposed to sublethal concentrations of TCS (100 ng/L and 200 ng/L) in different salinity levels (3 psu and 30 psu). This study shows that TCS can affect rotifers’ swimming and reproductive patterns in varying salinities and cause cellular toxicity.