Swimming in Pharmaceuticals: The Effect of Over-the-Counter Medications on Daphnia Magna

Presenter(s) Information(s)

Addison Roepke

Abstract or Description

Pharmaceuticals have been found in the brain tissue of fish tested in rivers in our country. Our wastewater treatment facilities are not capable of filtering out these harmful substances before they flow into our river systems. I investigated the effect of over-the-counter medications on Daphnia Magna. Daphnia Magna are used to test water toxicity. The purpose of this experiment was to determine the effect of Pseudoephedrine (Sudafed), Benadryl, and Ibuprofen on the heart rate of Daphnia Magna. In my experiment, I had a control group and three groups of Daphnia Magna that were exposed to three different medications. After the daphnia were exposed to the medication for the same amount of time, I placed them under the microscope and measured their heart rates. After conducting my experiment, I learned that all three medications lowered the heart rate of the Daphnia Magna. Benadryl lowered the heart rate the most, followed by Ibuprofen. Pseudoephedrine lowered the heart rate the least of the three medications when compared to the control group. The information that I gained from this experiment will help people understand the effects of over-the-counter medications on aquatic life. It is important to properly dispose of over-the-counter drugs so they do not adversely affect living organisms.