Investigation of Possible Toxic Effects of Personal Care Products on Daphnia magna in the Kucukcekmece Lagoon, Marmara Sea (Turkey)

Polyethylene glycols (PEGs) used in personal care products (PCPs) are preferred in a wide range of fields thanks to their solubility, viscosity properties, and low toxicity levels which were detected on mammals nearly 60 years ago. This study was aimed to determine the effect of acute toxicity of personal care products and PEGs which are used particularly in personal care and pharmaceutical products on aquatic ecosystems. In this scope, this study was determined the individual acute toxicities of PEGs; the acute toxicity of baby shampoo and body lotion which are among personal care products containing PEGs; and the possible acute toxicity of these products when they reach the surface waters. Daphnia sp. Acute Immobilisation Test was used to determine the toxic effect on aquatic organisms. The acute toxicity class of PEGs was identified as non-toxic (Class 0). While the body lotion was highly toxic (Class 5) at the end of the 48-hour exposure time without being applied to any surface water, it was non-toxic (Class 0) for all stations when applied to surface water. While the baby shampoo was practically non-toxic (Class 1) at the end of the 48-hour exposure time without being applied to any surface water, it was slightly toxic (Class 2) for station 1 and station 2 when applied to surface water. When PCPs including these liquid plastics, which are found to have non-toxicity characteristics, it is obvious that different toxic effects can emerge apart from the individual toxicity on surface waters.