Biodegradation of the antineoplastics vindesine, vincristine, and vinblastine and their toxicity against bacteria in the aquatic environment

Antineoplastics are excreted into sewage, because patients often poorly met abolize them after administration or they are metabolized into more biologi cally reactive metabolites. There is little information on their biodegrada tion and toxicity in aquatic environments. Therefore, the biodegradability of the vinca alkaloids, and their toxicity towards wastewater bacteria were investigated in this study. The biodegradability of vindesine, vincristine , and vinblastine was examined in the closed bottle test (CBT). Additionall y, the biodegradability of vinblastine as a model compound of the vinca alk aloids was tested in the Zahn-Wellens test (ZWT). The growth inhibition tes t with Pseudomonas putida was conducted, and a toxicity control in the CBT and the ZWT was used. The colony-forming units were monitored in the CBT; t he test results for the biodegradability after 28 days were: 30% for vincri stine, 20% for vindesine, and 10% for vinblastine. Therefore, none of the t est compounds met the criteria for being readily biodegradable (greater tha n or equal to 60%). Vinblastine was biodegraded up to 18% in the ZWT after 40 days, and therefore, not inherently. Toxicity towards wastewater bacteri a was not found.