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Chen X, Gan Y, Yang X, Zhong L, Zhang M, Lin M, Qing X, Wang J, Huang Y. First insight of the intergenerational effects of tri-n-butyl phosphate and polystyrene microplastics to Daphnia magna. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2024; 945:174114. [PMID: 38906280 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2024.174114] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/06/2024] [Revised: 06/12/2024] [Accepted: 06/16/2024] [Indexed: 06/23/2024]
Abstract
As an emerging organic pollutant, tributyl phosphate (TnBP) can be easily adsorbed by microplastics, resulting in compound toxic effects. In the present work, the effects of polystyrene microplastics (PS-MPs) and TnBP on the survival, growth, reproduction and oxidative stress of Daphnia magna (D. magna) have been evaluated through multigenerational test. Compared with the alone exposure groups, the somatic growth rate and the expression values of growth related genes rpa1, mre11, rnha, and rfc3_5 in the F1 generation of the combined exposure groups were significantly lower (p < 0.05), indicating synergistic effect of PS-MPs and TnBP on the growth toxicity and transgenerational effects. In addition, compared with the PS-MPs groups, significantly lower average number of offspring and expression values of reproduction related genes ccnb, mcm2, sgrap, and ptch1 were observed in the combined exposure group and TnBP group (p < 0.05), indicating TnBP might be the major factor causing reproductive toxicity to D. magna. Although PS-MPs and TnBP alone or in combination also had toxic impacts on the growth, survival and reproduction of D. magna in generations F0 and F2, the effects were less than F1 generation. Regarding oxidative stress, the activity of SOD, CAT and GSH-Px and MDA content in the generations F0 and F1 of combined exposure groups were higher than the TnBP group but lower than the PS-MPs groups, suggesting that PS-MPs might be the dominant cause of the oxidative damage in D. magna and the presence of TnBP would alleviate oxidative stress by reducing the bioaccumulation of PS-MPs. The present work will provide a theoretical basis for further understanding of the toxic effects and ecological risks of combined TnBP and microplastic pollution on aquatic organisms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaoli Chen
- University Joint Laboratory of Guangdong Province, Hong Kong and Macao Region on Marine Bioresource Conservation and Exploitation, College of Marine Sciences, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou 510642, China
| | - Yijing Gan
- University Joint Laboratory of Guangdong Province, Hong Kong and Macao Region on Marine Bioresource Conservation and Exploitation, College of Marine Sciences, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou 510642, China
| | - Xinlu Yang
- University Joint Laboratory of Guangdong Province, Hong Kong and Macao Region on Marine Bioresource Conservation and Exploitation, College of Marine Sciences, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou 510642, China
| | - Lixiang Zhong
- University Joint Laboratory of Guangdong Province, Hong Kong and Macao Region on Marine Bioresource Conservation and Exploitation, College of Marine Sciences, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou 510642, China
| | - Menghuan Zhang
- University Joint Laboratory of Guangdong Province, Hong Kong and Macao Region on Marine Bioresource Conservation and Exploitation, College of Marine Sciences, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou 510642, China
| | - Mingfu Lin
- University Joint Laboratory of Guangdong Province, Hong Kong and Macao Region on Marine Bioresource Conservation and Exploitation, College of Marine Sciences, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou 510642, China
| | - Xian Qing
- State Environmental Protection Key Laboratory of Urban Ecological Environment Simulation and Protection, South China Institute of Environmental Sciences, Ministry of Ecology and Environment of the People's Republic of China, Guangzhou 510655, China
| | - Jun Wang
- University Joint Laboratory of Guangdong Province, Hong Kong and Macao Region on Marine Bioresource Conservation and Exploitation, College of Marine Sciences, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou 510642, China; Guangdong Laboratory for Lingnan Modern Agriculture, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou 510642, China.
| | - Yumei Huang
- University Joint Laboratory of Guangdong Province, Hong Kong and Macao Region on Marine Bioresource Conservation and Exploitation, College of Marine Sciences, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou 510642, China; Guangdong Laboratory for Lingnan Modern Agriculture, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou 510642, China.
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Barrick A, Boardwine AJ, Hoang TC. Accumulation, depuration, and potential effects of environmentally representative microplastics towards Daphnia magna. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2024; 950:175384. [PMID: 39122021 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2024.175384] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/23/2024] [Revised: 07/15/2024] [Accepted: 08/06/2024] [Indexed: 08/12/2024]
Abstract
Microplastic risk assessment often characterizes primary plastics, plastics intentionally manufactured at the micro- and nanoscale, or plastics collected within the natural environment, which often lack repeatability and the volume necessary for reliable hazard characterization. There is limited understanding of how environmentally representative plastics prepared at the microscale impact aquatic organisms. The aim of the present study was to create environmentally representative microplastics and characterize their toxicokinetics and hazards. Plastic cups and forks were micronized to <120 μm particles and Daphnia magna were exposed for 48 h at concentrations ranging from 0.01 mg/L to 100 mg/L. Uptake and depuration experiments were conducted at the highest concentration where accumulation was confirmed. Raman spectroscopy identified that both plastics were polystyrene and had similar size distributions. Microplastics were not acutely toxic but accumulated and rapidly depurated. Toxicokinetics demonstrated that cup MPs were consumed at higher rates than fork MPs despite similar physical characteristics. Daphnia magna preferentially selected smaller particles from the heterogenous suspensions. Future research will need to further explore the relationship between physicochemical properties, particularly size, and ecotoxicity. The study focused on mortality as the primary hazard endpoint. However alternative, sublethal biomarkers may be more appropriate in describing the effects of microplastic exposure.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrew Barrick
- School of Fisheries, Aquaculture, and Aquatic Science, Auburn University, 203 Swingle Hall, Auburn, AL 36849, USA.
| | - Alison J Boardwine
- School of Fisheries, Aquaculture, and Aquatic Science, Auburn University, 203 Swingle Hall, Auburn, AL 36849, USA
| | - Tham C Hoang
- School of Fisheries, Aquaculture, and Aquatic Science, Auburn University, 203 Swingle Hall, Auburn, AL 36849, USA
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Yadav DK, Samantaray BP, Kumar R. Effect of alternative natural diet on microplastic ingestion, functional responses and trophic transfer in a tri-trophic coastal pelagic food web. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2024; 950:174999. [PMID: 39097011 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2024.174999] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/13/2024] [Revised: 06/27/2024] [Accepted: 07/22/2024] [Indexed: 08/05/2024]
Abstract
The patchy distribution of microplastics (MP) and their size range similar to planktonic organisms, are likely to have major ecological consequences, through MP ingestion, food dilution, and transfer across trophic levels. Our study applied a community module using tritrophic food chain with zooplankton as prey, and a planktivorous seabass fry as predator. We conducted a series of feeding experiments and recorded the direct uptake of MP under six different concentrations ranging from 25 to 800 particles L-1. We also estimated the indirect transfer of MP via trophic link. The ingestion rates for Brachionus plicatilis, Mesocyclops isabellae, and Lates calcarifer, were 3.7 ± 0.3 MP ind-1 min-1, 1.69 ± 0.1 MP ind-1 min-1, and 3.51 ± 0.52 MP ind-1 h-1, respectively. In the presence of a natural diet, rotifers and copepods ingested significantly lower number, whereas, fish fry ingested a higher number of MP, suggesting further vulnerability to the consumers of MP-contaminated fish and potential biomagnification at higher trophic levels. Overall, the MP uptake rate increased with increasing concentration, and finally leveled off, indicating a type II functional response to MP concentration. The presence of natural diet led to a lower Km value. In the indirect transfer experiment, 74 % of B. plicatilis and 78 % of M. isabellae individuals were contaminated with MP, when offered as prey. Brachionid mastax and MP particles were observed in the gut of copepods. The fish fry gut content also recorded brachionid mastax, MP-contaminated copepods, and MP particles, showing direct evidence of trophic transfer pointing to a cascading effect on higher trophic levels including humans via piscivory.
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Affiliation(s)
- Devesh Kumar Yadav
- Ecosystem Ecology Research Unit, Department of Environmental Science, School of Earth, Biological and Environmental Sciences, Central University of South Bihar, NH-120, Gaya-Panchanpur Rd, Fatehpur, Gaya, Bihar 824326, India.
| | - Banaja Prakashini Samantaray
- Ecosystem Ecology Research Unit, Department of Environmental Science, School of Earth, Biological and Environmental Sciences, Central University of South Bihar, NH-120, Gaya-Panchanpur Rd, Fatehpur, Gaya, Bihar 824326, India.
| | - Ram Kumar
- Ecosystem Ecology Research Unit, Department of Environmental Science, School of Earth, Biological and Environmental Sciences, Central University of South Bihar, NH-120, Gaya-Panchanpur Rd, Fatehpur, Gaya, Bihar 824326, India.
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Prikler B, Bordós G, Kriszt B, Micsinai A, Szabó I, Nyírő-Fekete B, Palotai Z, Kaszab E, Szoboszlay S, Csenki Z. Detection of microplastics in zebrafish housing systems: Can microplastic background contamination affect the final results of microplastic-related toxicological tests? AQUATIC TOXICOLOGY (AMSTERDAM, NETHERLANDS) 2024; 273:107020. [PMID: 39002427 DOI: 10.1016/j.aquatox.2024.107020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/16/2024] [Revised: 06/28/2024] [Accepted: 07/02/2024] [Indexed: 07/15/2024]
Abstract
Concentrations of microplastics (MPs) were determined in three commonly used zebrafish housing systems to see if their levels could affect the final results of laboratory microplastic-related toxicology tests. MPs have received notable attention in the last few years, and their toxicology tests have also come to the fore. Zebrafish (Danio rerio), kept in fish housing systems, are widely used as models for MPs studies. Most of these systems contain a significant number of parts made of different polymers. As usage and amortization can erode these parts, MPs might appear in the keeping water or the fish body, which may represent a background load and possibly influence the results of microplastic-related toxicological tests. To take representative water samples from systems, two in-situ filtration techniques, a newly developed peristaltic pump-, and a jet pump-driven method were applied. The collected MP particles were analyzed with a Fourier-transform infrared microscope (detection limit 50 μm), and their possible origin was also investigated. The newly developed technique was more sufficient for sampling as it had a higher MPs recovery, especially in the smaller size range. Polyester, polyethylene and polypropylene were the most frequently detected polymers in the examined fish housing systems, the highest detected concentration was 0.31±0.12 particles/liter (0.22±0.16 μg/liter). These values are negligible compared to the literature data reporting enormously high applied MPs concentrations (104 - 2.21 × 108 particles/liter) during toxicology tests. The results also show that some detected MPs did not originate from the systems, their origin was presumed to be external.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bence Prikler
- Eurofins Analytical Services Hungary Ltd., Budapest 1045, Hungary; Department of Environmental Safety, Institute of Aquaculture and Environmental Safety, Hungarian University of Agriculture and Life Sciences, Gödöllő 2100, Hungary
| | - Gábor Bordós
- Eurofins Analytical Services Hungary Ltd., Budapest 1045, Hungary
| | - Balázs Kriszt
- Department of Environmental Safety, Institute of Aquaculture and Environmental Safety, Hungarian University of Agriculture and Life Sciences, Gödöllő 2100, Hungary
| | - Adrienn Micsinai
- Eurofins Analytical Services Hungary Ltd., Budapest 1045, Hungary
| | - István Szabó
- Department of Environmental Toxicology, Institute of Aquaculture and Environmental Safety, Hungarian University of Agriculture and Life Sciences, Gödöllő 2100, Hungary
| | | | - Zoltán Palotai
- Eurofins Analytical Services Hungary Ltd., Budapest 1045, Hungary
| | - Edit Kaszab
- Department of Environmental Safety, Institute of Aquaculture and Environmental Safety, Hungarian University of Agriculture and Life Sciences, Gödöllő 2100, Hungary.
| | - Sándor Szoboszlay
- Department of Environmental Safety, Institute of Aquaculture and Environmental Safety, Hungarian University of Agriculture and Life Sciences, Gödöllő 2100, Hungary
| | - Zsolt Csenki
- Department of Environmental Toxicology, Institute of Aquaculture and Environmental Safety, Hungarian University of Agriculture and Life Sciences, Gödöllő 2100, Hungary
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Omotola EO, Supriyanto G. Occurrence, detection and ecotoxicity of microplastics in selected environments-a systematic appraisal. Heliyon 2024; 10:e32095. [PMID: 39114069 PMCID: PMC11305261 DOI: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2024.e32095] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/27/2023] [Revised: 05/25/2024] [Accepted: 05/28/2024] [Indexed: 08/10/2024] Open
Abstract
Microplastics (MPs) are being released into the environment in large quantities, especially in less developed parts of the world. This group of pollutants is mostly leached into the environment through heavy plastic dumpsites, pharmaceutical and personal care product containers, hospital wastes, plastic package accessories, and litter from food packaging. Consequently, these compounds are found in different compartments of the ecosystem, such as soils, sediments, biota, and, surprisingly, drinking water. The present study systematically appraised recent studies on MP pollution in the Asian and African environments. It also summarized the trends in the methods for the environmental monitoring of MPs and the removal strategies that have been employed. From the data gathered, the two key instrumentations involved are the microscopes for visualization and the Fourier transform-infra-red (FT-IR) spectrometer to classify or characterize the MPs. Based on the surveyed works of literature, China and South Africa have relatively more information on MP contamination of diverse matrices within their countries. Meanwhile, studies on the status of MP contamination should be conducted across all countries. Hence, this study becomes an eye-opener regarding the commencement of research works on the MP contamination of the environment, especially in other Asian and African countries with little or no information. Furthermore, the literature on ecotoxicity studies of MPs was investigated to ascertain the toxic nature of these compounds. This aspect of research is vital because it serves as a prerequisite for the remediation of these compounds. Microplastics have been declared lethal to biotic components, so all hands must be on deck to continuously remove them from the environment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elizabeth Oyinkansola Omotola
- Department of Chemical Sciences, Tai Solarin University of Education, Ijebu Ode, PMB 2118, Nigeria
- Department of Chemistry, Airlangga University Surabaya Indonesia, Indonesia
| | - Ganden Supriyanto
- Department of Chemistry, Airlangga University Surabaya Indonesia, Indonesia
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Park JS, Yoo JW, Lee YH, Park C, Lee YM. Size- and shape-dependent ingestion and acute toxicity of fragmented and spherical microplastics in the absence and presence of prey on two marine zooplankton. MARINE POLLUTION BULLETIN 2024; 206:116768. [PMID: 39067234 DOI: 10.1016/j.marpolbul.2024.116768] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/04/2024] [Revised: 06/18/2024] [Accepted: 07/22/2024] [Indexed: 07/30/2024]
Abstract
As microplastics (MPs) are particulate pollutants, their size and shape, and the presence of prey in the media can affect their toxicity. However, the size- and shape-dependent toxicities of MPs and their prey-dependent ingestion patterns in marine zooplankton are not well understood. Thus, we investigated the ingestion and egestion patterns, and toxicity of different shapes and sizes of MPs on two marine zooplankton, Brachionus koreanus and Diaphanosoma celebensis, under different prey conditions. The ingestion assay showed that smaller MPs were ingested more frequently, regardless of their shape. However, fragmented MPs showed higher toxicity than spherical MPs of comparable size. Prey in the media reduced the uptake and toxicity of MPs in both species depending on the taxa's feeding strategy. Our findings demonstrate that the size and shape of MPs are important factors in determining toxicity and that the presence of prey should also be considered when assessing MP toxicity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jong-Seok Park
- Department of Biotechnology, College of Convergence Engineering, Sangmyung University, Seoul 03016, Republic of Korea
| | - Je-Won Yoo
- Department of Biotechnology, College of Convergence Engineering, Sangmyung University, Seoul 03016, Republic of Korea
| | - Youn-Ha Lee
- Department of Biotechnology, College of Convergence Engineering, Sangmyung University, Seoul 03016, Republic of Korea
| | - Chaerin Park
- Department of Biotechnology, College of Convergence Engineering, Sangmyung University, Seoul 03016, Republic of Korea
| | - Young-Mi Lee
- Department of Biotechnology, College of Convergence Engineering, Sangmyung University, Seoul 03016, Republic of Korea.
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Martínez Rodríguez A, Kratina P, Jones JI. Microplastic pollution and nutrient enrichment shift the diet of freshwater macroinvertebrates. ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION (BARKING, ESSEX : 1987) 2024; 359:124540. [PMID: 39004208 DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2024.124540] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/02/2024] [Revised: 06/25/2024] [Accepted: 07/11/2024] [Indexed: 07/16/2024]
Abstract
Microplastic pollution poses a global threat to freshwater ecosystems, with laboratory experiments indicating potential toxic impacts through chemical toxicity, physical abrasion, and false satiation. Bioplastics have emerged as a potential greener alternative to traditional oil-based plastics. Yet, their environmental effects remain unclear, particularly at scales relevant to the natural environment. Additionally, the interactive impacts of microplastics with other environmental stressors, such as nutrient enrichment, are poorly understood and rarely studied. Under natural conditions organisms might be able to mitigate the toxic effects of microplastics by shifting their diet, but this ability may be compromised by other stressors. This study combines an outdoor mesocosm experiment and stable isotope analysis to determine changes in the trophic niches of three freshwater invertebrate species exposed to conventional (HDPE) and bio-based biodegradable (PLA) microplastics at two concentrations, both independently and combined with nutrient enrichment. Exposure to microplastics altered the isotopic niches of two of the invertebrate species, with nutrient enrichment mediating this effect. Moreover, the effects of microplastics were consistent regardless of their type or concentration. Under enriched conditions, two of the species exposed to microplastics shifted to a specialised diet compared with controls, whereas little difference was observed between the isotopic niches of those exposed to microplastic and controls under ambient nutrient conditions. Additionally, PLA was estimated to support 24 % of the diet of one species, highlighting the potential assimilation of bioplastics by biota and possible implications. Overall, these findings suggest that the toxic effects of microplastics suggested from laboratory studies might not manifest under real-world conditions. However, this study does demonstrate that subtle sublethal effects occur even at environmentally realistic microplastic concentrations. The crucial role of nutrient enrichment in mediating microplastic effects underscores the importance of considering microplastic pollution in the context of other environmental stressors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ana Martínez Rodríguez
- School of Biological and Behavioural Sciences, Queen Mary University of London, Mile End Road, London, E1 4NS, UK.
| | - Pavel Kratina
- School of Biological and Behavioural Sciences, Queen Mary University of London, Mile End Road, London, E1 4NS, UK
| | - J Iwan Jones
- School of Biological and Behavioural Sciences, Queen Mary University of London, Mile End Road, London, E1 4NS, UK
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Gao B, Gao F, Zhang X, Li Y, Yao H. Effects of different sizes of microplastic particles on soil respiration, enzyme activities, microbial communities, and seed germination. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2024; 933:173100. [PMID: 38735330 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2024.173100] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/20/2024] [Revised: 04/17/2024] [Accepted: 05/07/2024] [Indexed: 05/14/2024]
Abstract
Microplastics (MPs) are emerging pollutants of terrestrial ecosystems. The impacts of MP particle size on terrestrial systems remain unclear. The current study aimed to investigate the effects of six particle sizes (i.e., 4500, 1500, 500, 50, 5, and 0.5 μm) of polyethylene (PE) and polyvinyl chloride (PVC) on soil respiration, enzyme activity, bacteria, fungi, protists, and seed germination. MPs significantly promoted soil respiration, and the stimulating effects of PE were the strongest for medium and small-sized (0.5-1500 μm) particles, while those of PVC were the strongest for small particle sizes (0.5-50 μm). Large-sized (4500 μm) PE and all sizes of PVC significantly improved soil urease activity, while medium-sized (1500 μm) PVC significantly improved soil invertase activity. MPs altered the soil microbial community diversity, and the effects were especially pronounced for medium and small-sized (0.5-1500 μm) particles of PE and PVC on bacteria and fungi and small-sized (0.5 μm) particles of PE on protists. The impacts of MPs on bacteria and fungi were greater than on protists. The seed germination rate of Brassica chinensis decreased gradually with the decrease in PE MPs particle size. Therefore, to reduce the impact of MPs on soil ecosystems, effective measures should be taken to avoid the transformation of MPs into smaller particles in soil environmental management.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bo Gao
- Key Laboratory of Urban Environment and Health, Institute of Urban Environment, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Xiamen 361021, People's Republic of China; College of Tourism & Landscape Architecture, Guilin University of Technology, Guilin 541004, People's Republic of China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, People's Republic of China; Zhejiang Key Laboratory of Urban Environmental Processes and Pollution Control, CAS Haixi Industrial Technology Innovation Center in Beilun, Ningbo 315830, People's Republic of China
| | - Fuyun Gao
- Key Laboratory of Urban Environment and Health, Institute of Urban Environment, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Xiamen 361021, People's Republic of China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, People's Republic of China; Zhejiang Key Laboratory of Urban Environmental Processes and Pollution Control, CAS Haixi Industrial Technology Innovation Center in Beilun, Ningbo 315830, People's Republic of China
| | - Xingfeng Zhang
- College of Tourism & Landscape Architecture, Guilin University of Technology, Guilin 541004, People's Republic of China
| | - Yaying Li
- Key Laboratory of Urban Environment and Health, Institute of Urban Environment, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Xiamen 361021, People's Republic of China; Zhejiang Key Laboratory of Urban Environmental Processes and Pollution Control, CAS Haixi Industrial Technology Innovation Center in Beilun, Ningbo 315830, People's Republic of China
| | - Huaiying Yao
- Research Center for Environmental Ecology and Engineering, School of Environmental Ecology and Biological Engineering, Wuhan Institute of Technology, 206 Guanggu 1st road, Wuhan 430205, People's Republic of China.
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Wu Y, Li Z, Deng Y, Bian B, Xie L, Lu X, Tian J, Zhang Y, Wang L. Mangrove mud clam as an effective sentinel species for monitoring changes in coastal microplastic pollution. JOURNAL OF HAZARDOUS MATERIALS 2024; 472:134617. [PMID: 38749247 DOI: 10.1016/j.jhazmat.2024.134617] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/04/2024] [Revised: 05/06/2024] [Accepted: 05/12/2024] [Indexed: 05/30/2024]
Abstract
The worldwide mangrove shorelines are experiencing considerable contamination from microplastics (MPs). Finding an effective sentinel species in the mangrove ecosystem is crucial for early warning of ecological and human health risks posed by coastal microplastic pollution. This study collected 186 specimens of the widely distributed mangrove clam (Geloina expansa, Solander, 1786) from 18 stations along the Leizhou Peninsula, the largest mangrove coast in Southern China. This study discovered that mangrove mud clams accumulated a relatively high abundance of MPs (2.96 [1.61 - 6.03] items·g-1) in their soft tissue, wet weight, as compared to previously reported levels in bivalves. MPs abundance is significantly (p < 0.05 or 0.0001) influenced by coastal urban development, aquaculture, and shell size. Furthermore, the aggregated MPs exhibit a significantly high polymer risk index (Level III, H = 353.83). The estimated annual intake risk (EAI) from resident consumption, as calculated via a specific questionnaire survey, was at a moderate level (990 - 2475, items·g -1·Capita -1). However, the EAI based on suggested nutritional standards is very high, reaching 113,990 (79,298 - 148,681), items·g -1·Capita -1. We recommend utilizing the mangrove mud clam as sentinel species for the monitoring of MPs pollution changing across global coastlines.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yinglin Wu
- Western Guangdong Provincial Engineering Technology Research Center of Seafood Resource Sustainable Utilization, Lingnan Normal University, Zhanjiang 524048, Guangdong, People's Republic of China; School of Life Science and Technology, Lingnan Normal University, Zhanjiang 524048, People's Republic of China.
| | - Zitong Li
- School of Life Science and Technology, Lingnan Normal University, Zhanjiang 524048, People's Republic of China
| | - Yanxia Deng
- School of Life Science and Technology, Lingnan Normal University, Zhanjiang 524048, People's Republic of China
| | - Bingbing Bian
- School of Life Science and Technology, Lingnan Normal University, Zhanjiang 524048, People's Republic of China
| | - Ling Xie
- School of Life Science and Technology, Lingnan Normal University, Zhanjiang 524048, People's Republic of China
| | - Xianye Lu
- School of Life Science and Technology, Lingnan Normal University, Zhanjiang 524048, People's Republic of China
| | - Jingqiu Tian
- School of Life Science and Technology, Lingnan Normal University, Zhanjiang 524048, People's Republic of China
| | - Ying Zhang
- School of Life Science and Technology, Lingnan Normal University, Zhanjiang 524048, People's Republic of China
| | - Liyun Wang
- School of Life Science and Technology, Lingnan Normal University, Zhanjiang 524048, People's Republic of China
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Kurzweg L, Hauffe M, Schirrmeister S, Adomat Y, Socher M, Grischek T, Fery A, Harre K. Microplastic analysis in sediments of the Elbe River by electrostatic separation and differential scanning calorimetry. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2024; 930:172514. [PMID: 38641120 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2024.172514] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/18/2024] [Revised: 04/12/2024] [Accepted: 04/14/2024] [Indexed: 04/21/2024]
Abstract
This study presents the most extensive investigation of microplastic (MP) contents in sediment from the Elbe River. We employed electrostatic separation (ES) and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) to overcome limitations of sample throughput and time-consuming analysis. In total 43 sediment samples were collected using a Van-Veen grab. Subsequently, coarse materials (d10 > 100 μm) and fine materials (d10 ≤ 100 μm) were enriched using ES and density separation. DSC was utilized for MP identification and quantification, based on the phase-transition signals of eight different polymers. MP presence was detected in 25 samples, with successful quantification in 12 samples. The MP content in coarse material samples from shoreline areas ranged from 0.52 to 1.30 mg/kg, while in fine material samples from harbor basins, it ranged from 5.0 to 44.6 mg/kg. The most prevalent polymers identified were LD-PE, HD-PE, PP, and PCL. These findings confirmed the suitability of DSC for analyzing MP in complex environmental samples. MP hotspots were identified in harbor basins, where natural sedimentation processes and increased anthropogenic activities contribute to MP accumulation. Additionally, industrial sewage potentially contributed to MP content in sediment samples. The highest pollution levels were observed in the middle Elbe, between the confluences of Mulde and Havel. Lowest MP contents were found in the lower Elbe, potentially influenced by tides. Future studies should focus on holistic investigations of selected river sections, encompassing sediment, water, and biota samples, rather than the entire catchment area. This approach would facilitate the generation of spatiotemporal data on MP distribution in freshwater streams. In addition, more research is needed to explore potential interactions between different MP and sediment types during DSC measurements.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lucas Kurzweg
- Faculty of Agriculture, Environment and Chemistry, University of Applied Sciences Dresden, Friedrich-List-Platz 1, 01069 Dresden, Germany; Technical University Dresden, Faculty of Chemistry and Food Chemistry, Department for Physical Chemistry of Polymeric Materials, Mommsenstraße 6, 01069 Dresden, Germany
| | - Maurice Hauffe
- Faculty of Agriculture, Environment and Chemistry, University of Applied Sciences Dresden, Friedrich-List-Platz 1, 01069 Dresden, Germany
| | - Sven Schirrmeister
- Faculty of Agriculture, Environment and Chemistry, University of Applied Sciences Dresden, Friedrich-List-Platz 1, 01069 Dresden, Germany; Technical University Dresden, Faculty of Chemistry and Food Chemistry, Department for Physical Chemistry of Polymeric Materials, Mommsenstraße 6, 01069 Dresden, Germany
| | - Yasmin Adomat
- Faculty of Civil Engineering, University of Applied Sciences Dresden, Friedrich-List-Platz 1, 01069 Dresden, Germany
| | - Martin Socher
- Faculty of Agriculture, Environment and Chemistry, University of Applied Sciences Dresden, Friedrich-List-Platz 1, 01069 Dresden, Germany
| | - Thomas Grischek
- Faculty of Civil Engineering, University of Applied Sciences Dresden, Friedrich-List-Platz 1, 01069 Dresden, Germany
| | - Andreas Fery
- Technical University Dresden, Faculty of Chemistry and Food Chemistry, Department for Physical Chemistry of Polymeric Materials, Mommsenstraße 6, 01069 Dresden, Germany; Leibniz Institut für Polymerforschung Dresden e.V., Institute for Physical Chemistry and Polymer Physics, Hohe Str. 6, 01069 Dresden, Germany
| | - Kathrin Harre
- Faculty of Agriculture, Environment and Chemistry, University of Applied Sciences Dresden, Friedrich-List-Platz 1, 01069 Dresden, Germany.
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Zhang Y, Xu X, Xu J, Li Z, Cheng L, Fu J, Sun W, Dang C. When antibiotics encounter microplastics in aquatic environments: Interaction, combined toxicity, and risk assessments. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2024; 929:172455. [PMID: 38636871 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2024.172455] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/02/2024] [Revised: 03/27/2024] [Accepted: 04/11/2024] [Indexed: 04/20/2024]
Abstract
Antibiotics and microplastics (MPs), known as emerging pollutants, are bound to coexist in aquatic environments due to their widespread distribution and prolonged persistence. To date, few systematic summaries are available for the interaction between MPs and antibiotics in aquatic ecosystems, and a comprehensive reanalysis of their combined toxicity is also needed. Based on the collected published data, we have analyzed the source and distribution of MPs and antibiotics in global aquatic environments, finding their coexistence occurs in a lot of study sites. Accordingly, the presence of MPs can directly alter the environmental behavior of antibiotics. The main influencing factors of interaction between antibiotics and MPs have been summarized in terms of the characteristics of MPs and antibiotics, as well as the environmental factors. Then, we have conducted a meta-analysis to evaluate the combined toxicity of antibiotics and MPs on aquatic organisms and the related toxicity indicators, suggesting a significant adverse effect on algae, and inapparent on fish and daphnia. Finally, the environmental risk assessments for antibiotics and MPs were discussed, but unfortunately the standardized methodology for the risk assessment of MPs is still challenging, let alone assessment for their combined toxicity. This review provides insights into the interactions and environment risks of antibiotics and MPs in the aquatic environment, and suggests perspectives for future research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yibo Zhang
- Hubei Key Laboratory of Multi-media Pollution Cooperative Control in Yangtze Basin, School of Environmental Science & Engineering, Huazhong University of Science and Technology (HUST), 1037 Luoyu Road, Wuhan, Hubei 430074, China
| | - Xin Xu
- Hubei Key Laboratory of Multi-media Pollution Cooperative Control in Yangtze Basin, School of Environmental Science & Engineering, Huazhong University of Science and Technology (HUST), 1037 Luoyu Road, Wuhan, Hubei 430074, China
| | - Jing Xu
- Dezhou Eco-environment Monitoring Center of Shandong Province, Dezhou, 253000, China
| | - Zhang Li
- Hubei Key Laboratory of Multi-media Pollution Cooperative Control in Yangtze Basin, School of Environmental Science & Engineering, Huazhong University of Science and Technology (HUST), 1037 Luoyu Road, Wuhan, Hubei 430074, China
| | - Long Cheng
- Hubei Key Laboratory of Multi-media Pollution Cooperative Control in Yangtze Basin, School of Environmental Science & Engineering, Huazhong University of Science and Technology (HUST), 1037 Luoyu Road, Wuhan, Hubei 430074, China
| | - Jie Fu
- Hubei Key Laboratory of Multi-media Pollution Cooperative Control in Yangtze Basin, School of Environmental Science & Engineering, Huazhong University of Science and Technology (HUST), 1037 Luoyu Road, Wuhan, Hubei 430074, China
| | - Weiling Sun
- State Environmental Protection Key Laboratory of All Material Fluxes in River Ecosystems, College of Environmental Sciences and Engineering, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China
| | - Chenyuan Dang
- Hubei Key Laboratory of Multi-media Pollution Cooperative Control in Yangtze Basin, School of Environmental Science & Engineering, Huazhong University of Science and Technology (HUST), 1037 Luoyu Road, Wuhan, Hubei 430074, China.
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12
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Li NY, Zhong B, Guo Y, Li XX, Yang Z, He YX. Non-negligible impact of microplastics on wetland ecosystems. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2024; 924:171252. [PMID: 38423326 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2024.171252] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/23/2023] [Revised: 02/14/2024] [Accepted: 02/22/2024] [Indexed: 03/02/2024]
Abstract
There has been much concern about microplastic (MP) pollution in marine and soil environments, but attention is gradually shifting towards wetland ecosystems, which are a transitional zone between aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems. This paper comprehensively reviews the sources of MPs in wetland ecosystems, as well as their occurrence characteristics, factors influencing their migration, and their effects on animals, plants, microorganisms, and greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. It was found that MPs in wetland ecosystems originate mainly from anthropogenic sources (sewage discharge, and agricultural and industrial production) and natural sources (rainfall-runoff, atmospheric deposition, and tidal effects). The most common types and forms of MPs identified in the literature were polyethylene and polypropylene, fibers, and fragments. The migration of MPs in wetlands is influenced by both non-biological factors (the physicochemical properties of MPs, sediment characteristics, and hydrodynamic conditions) and biological factors (the adsorption and growth interception by plant roots, ingestion, and animal excretion). Furthermore, once MPs enter wetland ecosystems, they can impact the resident microorganisms, animals, and plants. They also have a role in global warming because MPs act as unique exogenous carbon sources, and can also influence GHG emissions in wetland ecosystems by affecting the microbial community structure in wetland sediments and abundance of genes associated with GHG emissions. However, further investigation is needed into the influence of MP type, size, and concentration on the GHG emissions in wetlands and the underlying mechanisms. Overall, the accumulation of MPs in wetland ecosystems can have far-reaching consequences for the local ecosystem, human health, and global climate regulation. Understanding the effects of MPs on wetland ecosystems is essential for developing effective management and mitigation strategies to safeguard these valuable and vulnerable environments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Na-Ying Li
- CAS Key Laboratory of Mountain Ecological Restoration and Bioresource Utilization & Ecological Restoration and Biodiversity Conservation Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, Chengdu Institute of Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Chengdu 610041, China; School of Life Sciences, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610065, China
| | - Bo Zhong
- CAS Key Laboratory of Mountain Ecological Restoration and Bioresource Utilization & Ecological Restoration and Biodiversity Conservation Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, Chengdu Institute of Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Chengdu 610041, China.
| | - Yun Guo
- CAS Key Laboratory of Mountain Ecological Restoration and Bioresource Utilization & Ecological Restoration and Biodiversity Conservation Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, Chengdu Institute of Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Chengdu 610041, China; School of Life Science and Engineering, Southwest University of Science and Technology, Mianyang 621010, China
| | - Xian-Xiang Li
- CAS Key Laboratory of Mountain Ecological Restoration and Bioresource Utilization & Ecological Restoration and Biodiversity Conservation Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, Chengdu Institute of Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Chengdu 610041, China; School of Geography and Tourism, Chongqing Normal University, Chongqing 400047, China
| | - Zao Yang
- CAS Key Laboratory of Mountain Ecological Restoration and Bioresource Utilization & Ecological Restoration and Biodiversity Conservation Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, Chengdu Institute of Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Chengdu 610041, China
| | - Yi-Xin He
- CAS Key Laboratory of Mountain Ecological Restoration and Bioresource Utilization & Ecological Restoration and Biodiversity Conservation Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, Chengdu Institute of Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Chengdu 610041, China.
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13
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Shukla S, Pei Y, Li WG, Pei DS. Toxicological Research on Nano and Microplastics in Environmental Pollution: Current Advances and Future Directions. AQUATIC TOXICOLOGY (AMSTERDAM, NETHERLANDS) 2024; 270:106894. [PMID: 38492287 DOI: 10.1016/j.aquatox.2024.106894] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/10/2024] [Revised: 03/06/2024] [Accepted: 03/10/2024] [Indexed: 03/18/2024]
Abstract
This review explains the sources of nanoplastics (NPs) and microplastics (MPs), their release, fate, and associated health risks in the aquatic environment. In the 21st century, scientists are grappling with a major challenge posed by MPs and NPs. The global production of plastic has skyrocketed from 1.5 million tons in the 1950s to an astonishing 390.7 million tons in 2021. This pervasive presence of these materials in our environment has spurred scientific inquiry into their potentially harmful effects on living organisms. Studies have revealed that while MPs, with their larger surface area, are capable of absorbing contaminants and pathogens from the surroundings, NPs can easily be transferred through the food chain. As a result, living organisms may ingest them and accumulate them within their bodies. Due to their minuscule size, NPs are particularly difficult to isolate and quantify. Furthermore, exposure to both NPs and MPs has been linked to various adverse health effects in aquatic species, including neurological impairments, disruption of lipid and energy metabolism, and increased susceptibility to cytotoxicity, oxidative stress, inflammation, and reactive oxygen species (ROS) production. It is alarming to note that MPs have even been detected in commercial fish, highlighting the severity of this issue. There are also challenges associated with elucidating the toxicological effects of NPs and MPs, which are discussed in detail in this review. In conclusion, plastic pollution is a pressing issue that governments should tackle by ensuring proper implementation of rules and regulations at national and provincial levels to reduce its health risks.
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Affiliation(s)
- Saurabh Shukla
- School of Public Health, Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing 400016, China; College of Life Science, Henan Normal University, Xinxiang 453007, Henan, China.; Department of Forensic Science, School of Bioengineering and Biosciences, Lovely Professional University, Jalandhar, India
| | - Yang Pei
- Chongqing No.11 Middle School, Chongqing 400061, China
| | - Wei-Guo Li
- College of Life Science, Henan Normal University, Xinxiang 453007, Henan, China
| | - De-Sheng Pei
- School of Public Health, Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing 400016, China.
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14
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Schirrmeister S, Kurzweg L, Gjashta X, Socher M, Fery A, Harre K. Regression analysis for the determination of microplastics in sediments using differential scanning calorimetry. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE AND POLLUTION RESEARCH INTERNATIONAL 2024:10.1007/s11356-024-33100-8. [PMID: 38616225 DOI: 10.1007/s11356-024-33100-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/05/2023] [Accepted: 03/22/2024] [Indexed: 04/16/2024]
Abstract
This research addresses the growing need for fast and cost-efficient methods for microplastic (MP) analysis. We present a thermo-analytical method that enables the identification and quantification of different polymer types in sediment and sand composite samples based on their phase transition behavior. Differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) was performed, and the results were evaluated by using different regression models. The melting and crystallization enthalpies or the change in heat capacity at the glass transition point were measured as regression analysis data. Ten milligrams of sea sand was spiked with 0.05 to 1.5 mg of microplastic particles (size: 100 to 200 µm) of the semi-crystalline polymers LD-PE, HD-PE, PP, PA6, and PET, and the amorphous polymers PS and PVC. The results showed that a two-factorial regression enabled the unambiguous identification and robust quantification of different polymer types. The limits of quantification were 0.13 to 0.33 mg and 0.40 to 1.84 mg per measurement for semi-crystalline and amorphous polymers, respectively. Moreover, DSC is robust with regard to natural organic matrices and allows the fast and non-destructive analysis of microplastic within the analytical limits. Hence, DSC could expand the range of analytical methods for microplastics and compete with perturbation-prone chemical analyses such as thermal extraction-desorption gas chromatography-mass spectrometry or spectroscopic methods. Further work should focus on potential changes in phase transition behavior in more complex matrices and the application of DSC for MP analysis in environmental samples.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sven Schirrmeister
- Faculty of Agriculture, Environment and Chemistry, University of Applied Sciences Dresden, Friedrich-List-Platz 1, 01069, Dresden, Germany
- Faculty of Chemistry and Food Chemistry, Division of Physical Chemistry of Polymeric Materials, Technical University Dresden, Mommsenstraße 6, 01069, Dresden, Germany
| | - Lucas Kurzweg
- Faculty of Agriculture, Environment and Chemistry, University of Applied Sciences Dresden, Friedrich-List-Platz 1, 01069, Dresden, Germany
- Faculty of Chemistry and Food Chemistry, Division of Physical Chemistry of Polymeric Materials, Technical University Dresden, Mommsenstraße 6, 01069, Dresden, Germany
| | - Xhoen Gjashta
- Faculty of Agriculture, Environment and Chemistry, University of Applied Sciences Dresden, Friedrich-List-Platz 1, 01069, Dresden, Germany
| | - Martin Socher
- Faculty of Agriculture, Environment and Chemistry, University of Applied Sciences Dresden, Friedrich-List-Platz 1, 01069, Dresden, Germany
| | - Andreas Fery
- Leibniz Institut für Polymerforschung Dresden e.V., Institute for Physical Chemistry and Polymer Physics, Hohe Str. 6, 01069, Dresden, Germany
- Faculty of Chemistry and Food Chemistry, Division of Physical Chemistry of Polymeric Materials, Technical University Dresden, Mommsenstraße 6, 01069, Dresden, Germany
| | - Kathrin Harre
- Faculty of Agriculture, Environment and Chemistry, University of Applied Sciences Dresden, Friedrich-List-Platz 1, 01069, Dresden, Germany.
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Wang T, Yi Z, Liu X, Cai Y, Huang X, Fang J, Shen R, Lu W, Xiao Y, Zhuang W, Guo S. Multimodal detection and analysis of microplastics in human thrombi from multiple anatomically distinct sites. EBioMedicine 2024; 103:105118. [PMID: 38614011 PMCID: PMC11021838 DOI: 10.1016/j.ebiom.2024.105118] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/11/2023] [Revised: 03/26/2024] [Accepted: 03/31/2024] [Indexed: 04/15/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Microplastic (MP) pollution has emerged as a significant environmental concern worldwide. While extensive research has focused on their presence in marine organisms and ecosystems, their potential impact on human health, particularly on the circulatory system, remains understudied. This project aimed to identify and quantify the mass concentrations, polymer types, and physical properties of MPs in human thrombi surgically retrieved from both arterial and venous systems at three anatomically distinct sites, namely, cerebral arteries in the brain, coronary arteries in the heart, and deep veins in the lower extremities. Furthermore, this study aimed to investigate the potential association between the levels of MPs and disease severity. METHODS Thrombus samples were collected from 30 patients who underwent thrombectomy procedures due to ischaemic stroke (IS), myocardial infarction (MI), or deep vein thrombosis (DVT). Pyrolysis-gas chromatography mass spectrometry (Py-GC/MS) was employed to identify and quantify the mass concentrations of the MPs. Laser direct infrared (LDIR) spectroscopy and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) were used to analyse the physical properties of the MPs. Demographic and clinical information were also examined. A rigorous quality control system was used to eliminate potential environmental contamination. FINDINGS MPs were detected by Py-GC/MS in 80% (24/30) of the thrombi obtained from patients with IS, MI, or DVT, with median concentrations of 61.75 μg/g, 141.80 μg/g, and 69.62 μg/g, respectively. Among the 10 target types of MP polymers, polyamide 66 (PA66), polyvinyl chloride (PVC), and polyethylene (PE) were identified. Further analyses suggested that higher concentrations of MPs may be associated with greater disease severity (adjusted β = 7.72, 95% CI: 2.01-13.43, p < 0.05). The level of D-dimer in the MP-detected group was significantly higher than that in the MP-undetected group (8.3 ± 1.5 μg/L vs 6.6 ± 0.5 μg/L, p < 0.001). Additionally, LDIR analysis showed that PE was dominant among the 15 types of identified MPs, accounting for 53.6% of all MPs, with a mean diameter of 35.6 μm. The shapes of the polymers detected using LDIR and SEM were found to be heterogeneous. INTERPRETATION This study presents both qualitative and quantitative evidence of the presence of MPs, and their mass concentrations, polymer types, and physical properties in thrombotic diseases through the use of multimodal detection methods. Higher concentrations of MPs may be associated with increased disease severity. Future research with a larger sample size is urgently needed to identify the sources of exposure and validate the observed trends in the study. FUNDING This study was funded by the SUMC Scientific Research Initiation Grant (SRIG, No. 009-510858038), Postdoctoral Research Initiation Grant (No. 202205230031-3), and the 2020 Li Ka Shing Foundation Cross-Disciplinary Research Grant (No. 2020LKSFG02C).
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Affiliation(s)
- Tingting Wang
- Department of Neurology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Shantou University Medical College, Shantou, China
| | - Zhiheng Yi
- Department of Neurology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Shantou University Medical College, Shantou, China
| | - Xiaoqiang Liu
- Department of Neurology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Shantou University Medical College, Shantou, China
| | - Yuxin Cai
- Intervention Department, The First Affiliated Hospital of Shantou University Medical College, Shantou, China
| | - Xianxi Huang
- Department of Cardiology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Shantou University Medical College, Shantou, China
| | - Jingnian Fang
- Department of Neurology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Shantou University Medical College, Shantou, China
| | - Ronghuai Shen
- Department of Cardiology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Shantou University Medical College, Shantou, China
| | - Weikun Lu
- Department of Neurology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Shantou University Medical College, Shantou, China
| | - Yingxiu Xiao
- Department of Neurology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Shantou University Medical College, Shantou, China
| | - Weiduan Zhuang
- Department of Neurology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Shantou University Medical College, Shantou, China.
| | - Shaowei Guo
- Department of Neurology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Shantou University Medical College, Shantou, China.
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16
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Zhang M, Qiu W, Nie R, Xia Q, Zhang D, Pan X. Macronutrient and PFOS bioavailability manipulated by aeration-driven rhizospheric organic nanocapsular assembly. WATER RESEARCH 2024; 253:121334. [PMID: 38382293 DOI: 10.1016/j.watres.2024.121334] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/22/2023] [Revised: 01/31/2024] [Accepted: 02/17/2024] [Indexed: 02/23/2024]
Abstract
Ubiquitous presence of the extremely persistent pollutants, per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, is drawing ever-increasing concerns for their high eco-environmental risks which, however, are insufficiently considered based on the assembly characteristics of those amphiphilic molecules in environment. This study investigated the re-organization and self-assembly of perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS) and macronutrient molecules from rhizospheric organic (RhO) matter induced with a common operation of aeration. Atomic force microscopy (AFM) with infrared spectroscopy (IR)-mapping clearly showed that, after aeration and stabilization, RhO nanocapsules (∼ 1000 nm or smaller) with a core of PFOS-protein complexes coated by "lipid-carbohydrate" layers were observed whereas the capsule structure with a lipid core surrounded by "protein-carbohydrate-protein" multilayers was obtained in the absence of PFOS. It is aeration that exerted the disassociation of pristine RhO components, after which the environmental concentration PFOS restructured the self-assembly structure in a conspicuous "disorder-to-order" transition. AFM IR-mapping analysis of faeces combined with quantification of component uptake denoted the decreased ingestion and utilization of both PFOS and proteins compared with lipids and carbohydrates when Daphnia magna were fed with RhO nanocapsules. RhO nanocapsules acted as double-edged swords via simultaneously impeding the bioaccessibility of hazardous PFOS molecules and macronutrient proteins; and the latter might be more significant, which caused a malnutrition status within merely 48 h. Elucidating the assembly structure of natural organic matter and environmental concentration PFOS, the finding of this work could be a crucial supplementation to the high-dose-dependent eco-effect investigations on PFOS.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ming Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Microbial Technology for Industrial Pollution Control of Zhejiang Province, College of Environment, Zhejiang University of Technology, Hangzhou 310014, China
| | - Weifeng Qiu
- Key Laboratory of Microbial Technology for Industrial Pollution Control of Zhejiang Province, College of Environment, Zhejiang University of Technology, Hangzhou 310014, China
| | - Rui Nie
- Key Laboratory of Microbial Technology for Industrial Pollution Control of Zhejiang Province, College of Environment, Zhejiang University of Technology, Hangzhou 310014, China
| | - Qiaoyun Xia
- Key Laboratory of Microbial Technology for Industrial Pollution Control of Zhejiang Province, College of Environment, Zhejiang University of Technology, Hangzhou 310014, China
| | - Daoyong Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Microbial Technology for Industrial Pollution Control of Zhejiang Province, College of Environment, Zhejiang University of Technology, Hangzhou 310014, China.
| | - Xiangliang Pan
- Key Laboratory of Microbial Technology for Industrial Pollution Control of Zhejiang Province, College of Environment, Zhejiang University of Technology, Hangzhou 310014, China.
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17
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Kwabena Danso I, Woo JH, Hoon Baek S, Kim K, Lee K. Pulmonary toxicity assessment of polypropylene, polystyrene, and polyethylene microplastic fragments in mice. Toxicol Res 2024; 40:313-323. [PMID: 38525136 PMCID: PMC10959865 DOI: 10.1007/s43188-023-00224-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/07/2023] [Revised: 12/19/2023] [Accepted: 12/28/2023] [Indexed: 03/26/2024] Open
Abstract
Polypropylene (PP), polystyrene (PS), and polyethylene (PE) plastics are commonly used in household items such as electronic housings, food packaging, bottles, bags, toys, and roofing membranes. The presence of inhalable microplastics in indoor air has become a topic of concern as many people spent extended periods of time indoors during the COVID-19 pandemic lockdown restrictions, however, the toxic effects on the respiratory system are not properly understood. We examined the toxicity of PP, PS, and PE microplastic fragments in the pulmonary system of C57BL/6 mice. For 14 days, mice were intratracheally instilled 5 mg/kg PP, PS, and PE daily. The number of inflammatory cells such as macrophages, neutrophils, and eosinophils in the bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) of PS-instilled mice was significantly higher than that in the vehicle control (VC). The levels of inflammatory cytokines and chemokines in BALF of PS-instilled mice increased compared to the VC. However, the inflammatory responses in PP- and PE-stimulated mice were not significantly different from those in the VC group. We observed elevated protein levels of toll-like receptor (TLR) 2 in the lung tissue of PP-instilled mice and TLR4 in the lung tissue of PS-instilled mice compared with those to the VC, while TLR1, TLR5, and TLR6 protein levels remained unchanged. Phosphorylation of nuclear factor kappa B (NF-κB) and IĸB-α increased significantly in PS-instilled mice compared with that in VC. Furthermore, Nucleotide‑binding oligomerization domain‑like receptor family pyrin domain‑containing 3 (NLRP3) inflammasome components including NLRP3, apoptosis-associated speck-like protein containing a caspase recruitment domain (ASC), and Caspase-1 in the lung tissue of PS-instilled mice increased compared with that in the VC, but not in PP- and PE-instilled mice. These results suggest that PS microplastic fragment stimulation induces pulmonary inflammation due to NF-ĸB and NLRP3 inflammasome activation by the TLR4 pathway. Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s43188-023-00224-x.
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Affiliation(s)
- Isaac Kwabena Danso
- Inhalation Toxicology Center for Airborne Risk Factor, Korea Institute of Toxicology, 30 Baehak1-Gil, Jeongeup, Jeollabuk-do 56212 Republic of Korea
- Department of Human and Environmental Toxicology, Korea National University of Science & Technology, Daejeon, 34113 Republic of Korea
| | - Jong-Hwan Woo
- Inhalation Toxicology Center for Airborne Risk Factor, Korea Institute of Toxicology, 30 Baehak1-Gil, Jeongeup, Jeollabuk-do 56212 Republic of Korea
- Biosafety Research Institute and Laboratory of Pathology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Jeonbuk National University, Jeollabuk do, Iksan-si, Republic of Korea
| | - Seung Hoon Baek
- Inhalation Toxicology Center for Airborne Risk Factor, Korea Institute of Toxicology, 30 Baehak1-Gil, Jeongeup, Jeollabuk-do 56212 Republic of Korea
- Department of Human and Environmental Toxicology, Korea National University of Science & Technology, Daejeon, 34113 Republic of Korea
| | - Kilsoo Kim
- Preclinical Research Center, Daegu-Gyeongbuk Medical Innovation Foundation, Daegu, 41061 Republic of Korea
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Kyungpook National University, 80 Daehakro, Buk-Gu, Daegu, 41566 Republic of Korea
| | - Kyuhong Lee
- Inhalation Toxicology Center for Airborne Risk Factor, Korea Institute of Toxicology, 30 Baehak1-Gil, Jeongeup, Jeollabuk-do 56212 Republic of Korea
- Department of Human and Environmental Toxicology, Korea National University of Science & Technology, Daejeon, 34113 Republic of Korea
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18
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Liang J, Ji F, Wang H, Zhu T, Rubinstein J, Worthington R, Abdullah ALB, Tay YJ, Zhu C, George A, Li Y, Han M. Unraveling the threat: Microplastics and nano-plastics' impact on reproductive viability across ecosystems. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2024; 913:169525. [PMID: 38141979 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.169525] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/03/2023] [Revised: 12/16/2023] [Accepted: 12/18/2023] [Indexed: 12/25/2023]
Abstract
Plastic pollution pervades both marine and terrestrial ecosystems, fragmenting over time into microplastics (MPs) and nano-plastics (NPs). These particles infiltrate organisms via ingestion, inhalation, and dermal absorption, predominantly through the trophic interactions. This review elucidated the impacts of MPs/NPs on the reproductive viability of various species. MPs/NPs lead to reduced reproduction rates, abnormal larval development and increased mortality in aquatic invertebrates. Microplastics cause hormone secretion disorders and gonadal tissue damage in fish. In addition, the fertilization rate of eggs is reduced, and the larval deformity rate and mortality rate are increased. Male mammals exposed to MPs/NPs exhibit testicular anomalies, compromised sperm health, endocrine disturbances, oxidative stress, inflammation, and granulocyte apoptosis. In female mammals, including humans, exposure culminates in ovarian and uterine deformities, endocrine imbalances, oxidative stress, inflammation, granulosa cell apoptosis, and tissue fibrogenesis. Rodent offspring exposed to MPs experience increased mortality rates, while survivors display metabolic perturbations, reproductive anomalies, and weakened immunity. These challenges are intrinsically linked to the transgenerational conveyance of MPs. The ubiquity of MPs/NPs threatens biodiversity and, crucially, jeopardizes human reproductive health. The current findings underscore the exigency for comprehensive research and proactive interventions to ameliorate the implications of these pollutants.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ji Liang
- Universiti Sains Malaysia, Minden, Penang 11800, Malaysia
| | - Feng Ji
- Zhongda Hospital, Medical School, Southeast University, Nanjing 210009, China
| | - Hong Wang
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu, Sichuan, 611130, China
| | - Tian Zhu
- Universiti Sains Malaysia, Minden, Penang 11800, Malaysia
| | - James Rubinstein
- College of Arts and Sciences, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA 02138, USA
| | - Richard Worthington
- School of Humanities and Sciences, Stanford university, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
| | | | - Yi Juin Tay
- Universiti Sains Malaysia, Minden, Penang 11800, Malaysia
| | - Chenxin Zhu
- Universiti Sains Malaysia, Minden, Penang 11800, Malaysia.
| | - Andrew George
- Department of Biology, University of Oxford, 11a Mansfield Road, OX12JD, UK
| | - Yiming Li
- School of Life Science, East China Normal University, Shanghai 200241, China
| | - Mingming Han
- Universiti Sains Malaysia, Minden, Penang 11800, Malaysia.
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19
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Yuan D, Long Y, Liu D, Zhou F, Liu C, Chen L, Pan Y. Ecological impact of surfactant Tween-80 on plankton: High-scale analyses reveal deeper hazards. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2024; 912:169176. [PMID: 38086477 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.169176] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/31/2023] [Revised: 11/18/2023] [Accepted: 12/05/2023] [Indexed: 01/18/2024]
Abstract
The ecological risks of surfactants have been largely neglected because of their low toxicity. Multiscale studies have indicated that even if a pollutant causes no acute toxicity in a test species, it may alter interspecific interactions and community characteristics through sublethal impacts on test organisms. Therefore, we investigated the lethal and sublethal responses of the plankton species Scenedesmus quadricauda, Chlorella vulgaris, and Daphnia magna, to surfactant Tween-80. Then, high-scale responses in grazer life-history traits and stability of the D. magna-larval damselfly system were further explored. The results showed that discernible adverse effects on the growth or survival of the three plankton species were evident only at exceptionally high concentrations (≥100 mg L-1). However, 10 mg L-1 of Tween-80 notably affected the MDA concentration in grazer species, simultaneously displaying a tendency to diminish grazer's heartbeat and swimming frequency. Furthermore, Tween-80 reduced the grazer reproductive capacity and increased its predation risk by larval damselflies, which ultimately jeopardized the stability of the D. magna-larval damselfly system at much lower concentrations (10-100 fold lower) than the individual-scale responses. This study provides evidence that high-scale traits are far more sensitive to Tween-80, compared with individual-scale traits for plankton organisms, suggesting that the ecological risks of Tween-80 demand careful reassessment. SYNOPSIS: The concentration of Tween-80 needed to induce changes in community characteristics is markedly lower than that needed to produce individual-scale consequences. Thus, high-scale analyses have broad implications for understanding the hazardous effects of surfactants compared with an individual-scale analysis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Duanyang Yuan
- School of Ecology and Environmental Sciences & Yunnan Key Laboratory for Plateau Mountain Ecology and Restoration of Degraded Environments, Yunnan University, Kunming, Yunnan 650091, China; Yunnan International Cooperative Center of Plateau Lake Ecological Restoration and Watershed Management & Yunnan Think Tank of Ecological Civilization, Kunming, Yunnan 650091, China
| | - Yaoyue Long
- School of Ecology and Environmental Sciences & Yunnan Key Laboratory for Plateau Mountain Ecology and Restoration of Degraded Environments, Yunnan University, Kunming, Yunnan 650091, China; Yunnan International Cooperative Center of Plateau Lake Ecological Restoration and Watershed Management & Yunnan Think Tank of Ecological Civilization, Kunming, Yunnan 650091, China; Institute of International Rivers and Eco-Security, Yunnan University, Kunming, Yunnan 650091, China
| | - Dan Liu
- School of Ecology and Environmental Sciences & Yunnan Key Laboratory for Plateau Mountain Ecology and Restoration of Degraded Environments, Yunnan University, Kunming, Yunnan 650091, China; Yunnan International Cooperative Center of Plateau Lake Ecological Restoration and Watershed Management & Yunnan Think Tank of Ecological Civilization, Kunming, Yunnan 650091, China
| | - Fangjie Zhou
- Institute of International Rivers and Eco-Security, Yunnan University, Kunming, Yunnan 650091, China
| | - Change Liu
- School of Ecology and Environmental Sciences & Yunnan Key Laboratory for Plateau Mountain Ecology and Restoration of Degraded Environments, Yunnan University, Kunming, Yunnan 650091, China; Yunnan International Cooperative Center of Plateau Lake Ecological Restoration and Watershed Management & Yunnan Think Tank of Ecological Civilization, Kunming, Yunnan 650091, China
| | - Liqiang Chen
- Institute of International Rivers and Eco-Security, Yunnan University, Kunming, Yunnan 650091, China
| | - Ying Pan
- School of Ecology and Environmental Sciences & Yunnan Key Laboratory for Plateau Mountain Ecology and Restoration of Degraded Environments, Yunnan University, Kunming, Yunnan 650091, China; Yunnan International Cooperative Center of Plateau Lake Ecological Restoration and Watershed Management & Yunnan Think Tank of Ecological Civilization, Kunming, Yunnan 650091, China.
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20
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Sim W, Song SW, Park S, Jang JI, Kim JH, Cho YM, Kim HM. Unveiling microplastics with hyperspectral Raman imaging: From macroscale observations to real-world applications. JOURNAL OF HAZARDOUS MATERIALS 2024; 463:132861. [PMID: 37939557 DOI: 10.1016/j.jhazmat.2023.132861] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/31/2023] [Revised: 10/23/2023] [Accepted: 10/24/2023] [Indexed: 11/10/2023]
Abstract
The widespread use of plastic materials, owing to their several advantageous properties, has resulted in a considerable increase in plastic consumption. Consequently, the production of primary and secondary microplastics has also increased. To identify, categorize, and quantify microplastics, several analytical methods, such as thermal analysis and spectroscopic methods, have been developed. They generally offer little insight into the size and shape of microplastics, require time-consuming sample preparation and classification, and are susceptible to background interference. Herein, we created a macroscale hyperspectral Raman method to quickly quantify and characterize large volumes of plastics. Using this approach, we successfully obtained Raman spectra of five different types of microplastics scattered over an area of 12.4 mm × 12.4 mm within just 550 s and perfectly classified these microplastics using a machine learning method. Additionally, we demonstrated that our system is effective for obtaining Raman spectra, even when the microplastics are suspended in aquatic environments or bound to metal-mesh nets. These results highlight the considerable potential of our proposed method for real-world applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wooseok Sim
- Department of Chemistry, Kookmin University, Seoul 02707, Republic of Korea
| | - Si Won Song
- Department of Chemistry, Kookmin University, Seoul 02707, Republic of Korea
| | - Subeen Park
- Department of Chemistry, Kookmin University, Seoul 02707, Republic of Korea; Sensor System Research Center, Korea Institute of Science and Technology (KIST), Seoul 02792, Republic of Korea
| | - Jin Il Jang
- Department of Chemistry, Kookmin University, Seoul 02707, Republic of Korea
| | - Jae Hun Kim
- Sensor System Research Center, Korea Institute of Science and Technology (KIST), Seoul 02792, Republic of Korea
| | - Yeo-Myoung Cho
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Stanford University, CA 94305, United States
| | - Hyung Min Kim
- Department of Chemistry, Kookmin University, Seoul 02707, Republic of Korea.
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21
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Cui X, Yang T, Li Z, Nowack B. Meta-analysis of the hazards of microplastics in freshwaters using species sensitivity distributions. JOURNAL OF HAZARDOUS MATERIALS 2024; 463:132919. [PMID: 37944233 DOI: 10.1016/j.jhazmat.2023.132919] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/05/2023] [Revised: 10/19/2023] [Accepted: 11/01/2023] [Indexed: 11/12/2023]
Abstract
The environmental hazards of microplastics have raised concerns about their potential ecological risks. However, our understanding of the true risks may be limited because most laboratory studies used pristine microplastics. Here, we analyzed the available literature about ecotoxicological effects of microplastics, including weathered microplastics in particular, on freshwater biota and performed probabilistic species sensitivity distributions. The predicted no-effect concentrations for pristine microplastics were lower than those for weathered microplastics, both in mass concentration (6.1 and 4.8 × 102 μg/L) and number concentration (2.6 × 104 and 2.0 × 106 part/m3). In addition, the toxicological studies on microplastics contains often inconsistent and inconclusive information due to the complexity of the microplastics and the employed exposure conditions. The available data for Daphnia magna and Danio rerio was analyzed in detail to understand the effects of microplastic size, shape and polymer type on their ecotoxicity. Microplastic size was the biggest driving factor, followed by shape and polymer type. There was a tendency for increasing toxicity with smaller size, however, a high variability of effect data was observed for small microplastics. This study provided further insights into the effect thresholds for ecological risk assessment of microplastics and the effects of microplastic characteristics on toxicity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaoying Cui
- College of Environmental Science and Engineering, Ocean University of China, Qingdao, China; Technology and Society Laboratory, Swiss Federal Laboratories for Materials Science and Technology (Empa), 9014 St. Gallen, Switzerland
| | - Tong Yang
- Technology and Society Laboratory, Swiss Federal Laboratories for Materials Science and Technology (Empa), 9014 St. Gallen, Switzerland
| | - Zhengyan Li
- College of Environmental Science and Engineering, Ocean University of China, Qingdao, China; Key Laboratory of Marine Environment and Ecology, Ministry of Education of China, Ocean University of China, Qingdao, China.
| | - Bernd Nowack
- Technology and Society Laboratory, Swiss Federal Laboratories for Materials Science and Technology (Empa), 9014 St. Gallen, Switzerland
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22
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Luangrath A, Na J, Kalimuthu P, Song J, Kim C, Jung J. Ecotoxicity of polylactic acid microplastic fragments to Daphnia magna and the effect of ultraviolet weathering. ECOTOXICOLOGY AND ENVIRONMENTAL SAFETY 2024; 271:115974. [PMID: 38266357 DOI: 10.1016/j.ecoenv.2024.115974] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/23/2023] [Revised: 12/17/2023] [Accepted: 01/09/2024] [Indexed: 01/26/2024]
Abstract
Biodegradable plastics (BPs) are widely used as alternatives to non-BPs due to their inherent ability to undergo facile degradation. However, the ecotoxicological impact of biodegradable microplastics (MPs) rarely remains scientific documented especially to aquatic ecosystem and organisms compared to conventional microplastics. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate the ecotoxicity of biodegradable polylactic acid (PLA) MPs to Daphnia magna with that of conventional polyethylene (PE) MPs with and without ultraviolet (UV) treatment (4 weeks). The acute toxicity (48 h) of PLA MPs was significantly higher than that of PE MPs, potentially attributable to their elevated bioconcentration resulting from their higher density. UV treatment notably reduced the particle size of PLA MPs and induced new hydrophilic functional groups containing oxygen. Thus, the acute lethal toxicity of PLA MPs exhibited noteworthy increase, compared to before UV treatment after UV treatment, which was greater than that of UV-PE MPs. In addition, UV-PLA MPs showed markedly elevated reactive oxygen species concentration in D. magna compared to positive control. However, there was no significant increase in the level of lipid peroxidation, possibly due to successful defense by antioxidant enzymes (superoxide dismutase and catalase). These findings highlight the ecotoxicological risks of biodegradable MPs to aquatic organisms, which require comprehensive long-term studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alisa Luangrath
- Division of Environmental Science and Ecological Engineering, Korea University, Seoul 02841, the Republic of Korea
| | - Joorim Na
- OJeong Resilience Institute, Korea University, Seoul 02841, the Republic of Korea.
| | - Pandi Kalimuthu
- BK21 FOUR R&E Center Environmental Science and Ecological Engineering, Korea University, Seoul 02841, the Republic of Korea
| | - Jinyoung Song
- Division of Environmental Science and Ecological Engineering, Korea University, Seoul 02841, the Republic of Korea
| | - Changhae Kim
- Division of Environmental Science and Ecological Engineering, Korea University, Seoul 02841, the Republic of Korea
| | - Jinho Jung
- Division of Environmental Science and Ecological Engineering, Korea University, Seoul 02841, the Republic of Korea.
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23
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Kim SW, Song WY, Waldman WR, Rillig MC, Kim TY. Toxicity of Aged Paint Particles to Soil Ecosystems: Insights from Caenorhabditis elegans. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY 2024; 58:231-241. [PMID: 38128904 DOI: 10.1021/acs.est.3c07160] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/23/2023]
Abstract
Despite the extensive global consumption of architectural paint, the toxicological effects of aged exterior paint particles on terrestrial biota remain largely uncharacterized. Herein, we assessed the toxic effect of aged paint particles on soil environments using the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans (C. elegans) as a test organism. Various types of paint particles were generated by fragmentation and sequential sieving (500-1000, 250-500, 100-250, 50-100, 20-50 μm) of paint coatings collected from two old residential areas. The paint particles exerted different levels of toxicity, as indicated by a reduction in the number of C. elegans offspring, depending on their size, color, and layer structure. These physical characteristics were found to be closely associated with the chemical heterogeneity of additives present in the paint particles. Since the paint particle sizes were larger than what C. elegans typically consume, we attributed the toxicity to leachable additives present in the paint particles. To assess the toxicity of these leachable additives, we performed sequential washings of the paint particles with distilled water and ethanol. Ethanol washing of the paint particles significantly reduced the soil toxicity of the hydrophobic additives, indicating their potential environmental risk. Liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry analysis of the ethanol leachate revealed the presence of alkyl amines, which exhibited a high correlation with the toxicity of the paint particles. Further toxicity testing using an alkyl amine standard demonstrated that a paint particle concentration of 1.2% in soil could significantly reduce the number of C. elegans offspring. Our findings provide insights into the potential hazards posed by aged paint particles and their leachable additives in the terrestrial environment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shin Woong Kim
- Institute of Biology, Freie Universität Berlin, 14195 Berlin, Germany
- Berlin-Brandenburg Institute of Advanced Biodiversity Research, 14195 Berlin, Germany
| | - Woo-Young Song
- School of Earth Sciences and Environmental Engineering, Gwangju Institute of Science and Technology, Gwangju 61005, Republic of Korea
| | - Walter R Waldman
- Science and Technology Center for Sustainability, Federal University of São Carlos, 18052-780 Sorocaba, SP, Brazil
| | - Matthias C Rillig
- Institute of Biology, Freie Universität Berlin, 14195 Berlin, Germany
- Berlin-Brandenburg Institute of Advanced Biodiversity Research, 14195 Berlin, Germany
| | - Tae-Young Kim
- School of Earth Sciences and Environmental Engineering, Gwangju Institute of Science and Technology, Gwangju 61005, Republic of Korea
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24
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An G, Na J, Song J, Jung J. Chronic toxicity of biodegradable microplastic (Polylactic acid) to Daphnia magna: A comparison with polyethylene terephthalate. AQUATIC TOXICOLOGY (AMSTERDAM, NETHERLANDS) 2024; 266:106790. [PMID: 38070395 DOI: 10.1016/j.aquatox.2023.106790] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/25/2023] [Revised: 11/23/2023] [Accepted: 12/01/2023] [Indexed: 01/02/2024]
Abstract
The increase in the usage of biodegradable microplastics (MPs) as an alternative to conventional plastics has necessitated comprehensive ecotoxicity assessments of biodegradable MPs alongside conventional MPs. This study aimed to assess ecotoxicity of biodegradable polylactic acid (PLA) MPs at concentration of 1 and 5 mgL-1 including a genetic analysis of Daphnia magna, and compared to effects of conventional polyethylene terephthalate (PET) MPs. The survival rate for D. magna exposed to 5 mg L-1 of PLA-MPs declined to 52.4 %, signifying a higher rate of mortality when contrasted with PET-MPs, which exhibited 85.7 % survival rate. Chronic exposure to 1 and 5 mgL-1 PLA-MPs resulted in a decrease of offspring, while increasing the sex ratio and deformed embryo. Interestingly, down-regulation of the SOD and AK genes was observed in D. magna after exposure to 5 mgL-1 of PLA-MPs, while 1 mgL-1 of PLA-MPs up-regulated. These results means that 5 mgL-1 PLA-MP could not produce energy and cope with oxidative stress, resulting in high mortality, and 1 mgL-1 of MP was maintained survival due to energy production and antioxidant action. This study contributes to our understanding of biodegradable microplastics (BMPs) toxic effects on D. magna which could be similar to conventional MPs and provide the importance of ecotoxicological data for risk assessment of BMPs in aquatic organisms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gersan An
- Division of Environmental Science and Ecological Engineering, Korea University, Seoul 02841, Republic of Korea
| | - Joorim Na
- OJeong Resilience Institute (OJERI), Korea University, Seoul 02841, Republic of Korea.
| | - Jinyoung Song
- Division of Environmental Science and Ecological Engineering, Korea University, Seoul 02841, Republic of Korea
| | - Jinho Jung
- Division of Environmental Science and Ecological Engineering, Korea University, Seoul 02841, Republic of Korea
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25
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Chen X, Wang X, Huang Y, Zhu Z, Li T, Cai Z, Li M, Gong H, Yan M. Combined effects of microplastics and antibiotic-resistant bacteria on Daphnia magna growth and expression of functional genes. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2023; 905:166880. [PMID: 37709097 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.166880] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/21/2023] [Revised: 09/03/2023] [Accepted: 09/04/2023] [Indexed: 09/16/2023]
Abstract
Microplastics could act as vectors for the transport of harmful bacteria, such as pathogens and antibiotic resistance bacteria (ARB), but their combined effects have not been reported yet. Here, ARB Shigella flexneri with sulfonamides resistance and micro-polystyrene (micro-PS) were used to investigate their possible combined effects on the growth and expression of functional genes in Daphnia magna. Results showed that micro-PS colonized with S. flexneri were ingested by D. magna and blocked in their intestine after 24 h exposure. Changes were observed in the life history and morphology of D. magna, as well as the expression of functional genes in all treatments, but with no difference in the survival rate. We also determined the expression of six functional genes involved in energy and metabolism (arginine kinase, AK) and oxidative stress response (thioredoxin reductase, TRxR, catalase, CAT, and glutathione S-transferases, GSTs), as well as in growth, development and reproduction (vitellogenin, Vtg1 and ecdysone receptor, EcR). AK and Vtg1 did not show significant differences, however, EcR was down-regulated and the other three genes (TRxR, CAT, GSTs) were up-regulated in the combined-treated group. Antibiotic resistance gene (ARGs) sul1 was detected when exposed to micro-PS colonized with S. flexneri., suggesting that D. magna could acquire resistance genes through microplastic biofilms. These results indicated that MPs could act as a carrier of ARB to transfer ARGs into D. magna, and affect the life history, morphology, and the expression of related functional genes of D. magna, to adapt to the stress caused by MPs and ARB.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaofeng Chen
- College of Marine Sciences, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou 510641, China
| | - Xiaocui Wang
- College of Marine Sciences, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou 510641, China
| | - Yuanyin Huang
- College of Marine Sciences, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou 510641, China
| | - Ziying Zhu
- College of Marine Sciences, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou 510641, China
| | - Tianmu Li
- College of Marine Sciences, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou 510641, China
| | - Zeming Cai
- College of Marine Sciences, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou 510641, China
| | - Minqian Li
- College of Marine Sciences, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou 510641, China
| | - Han Gong
- College of Marine Sciences, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou 510641, China.
| | - Muting Yan
- College of Marine Sciences, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou 510641, China.
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Lawrence J, Santolini C, Binda G, Carnati S, Boldrocchi G, Pozzi A, Bettinetti R. Freshwater Lacustrine Zooplankton and Microplastic: An Issue to Be Still Explored. TOXICS 2023; 11:1017. [PMID: 38133418 PMCID: PMC10748375 DOI: 10.3390/toxics11121017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/02/2023] [Revised: 12/05/2023] [Accepted: 12/08/2023] [Indexed: 12/23/2023]
Abstract
Lakes are essentially interlinked to humans as they provide water for drinking, agriculture, industrial and domestic purposes. The upsurge of plastic usage, its persistence, and potential detrimental effects on organisms cause impacts on the trophic food web of freshwater ecosystems; this issue, however, still needs to be explored. Zooplankton worldwide is commonly studied as an indicator of environmental risk in aquatic ecosystems for several pollutants. The aim of the review is to link the existing knowledge of microplastic pollution in zooplankton to assess the potential risks linked to these organisms which are at the first level of the lacustrine trophic web. A database search was conducted through the main databases to gather the relevant literature over the course of time. The sensitivity of zooplankton organisms is evident from laboratory studies, whereas several knowledge gaps exist in the understanding of mechanisms causing toxicity. This review also highlights insufficient data on field studies hampering the understanding of the pollution extent in lakes, as well as unclear trends on ecosystem-level cascading effects of microplastics (MPs) and mechanisms of toxicity (especially in combination with other pollutants). Therefore, this review provides insight into understanding the overlooked issues of microplastic in lake ecosystems to gain an accurate ecological risk assessment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jassica Lawrence
- DISAT Department of Science and High Technology, University of Insubria, Via Valleggio 11, 22100 Como, Italy; (J.L.); (C.S.); (S.C.); (A.P.)
| | - Carlotta Santolini
- DISAT Department of Science and High Technology, University of Insubria, Via Valleggio 11, 22100 Como, Italy; (J.L.); (C.S.); (S.C.); (A.P.)
- University School for Advanced Studies IUSS, 27100 Pavia, Italy
| | - Gilberto Binda
- DISAT Department of Science and High Technology, University of Insubria, Via Valleggio 11, 22100 Como, Italy; (J.L.); (C.S.); (S.C.); (A.P.)
- Norwegian Institute for Water Research, Økernveien 94, 0579 Oslo, Norway
| | - Stefano Carnati
- DISAT Department of Science and High Technology, University of Insubria, Via Valleggio 11, 22100 Como, Italy; (J.L.); (C.S.); (S.C.); (A.P.)
| | - Ginevra Boldrocchi
- DiSUIT Department of Human Science and Innovation for the Territory, University of Insubria, Via Valleggio 11, 22100 Como, Italy;
| | - Andrea Pozzi
- DISAT Department of Science and High Technology, University of Insubria, Via Valleggio 11, 22100 Como, Italy; (J.L.); (C.S.); (S.C.); (A.P.)
| | - Roberta Bettinetti
- DiSUIT Department of Human Science and Innovation for the Territory, University of Insubria, Via Valleggio 11, 22100 Como, Italy;
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Zhou T, Wu J, Liu Y, Xu A. Seawater Accelerated the Aging of Polystyrene and Enhanced Its Toxic Effects on Caenorhabditis elegans. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:17219. [PMID: 38139049 PMCID: PMC10743734 DOI: 10.3390/ijms242417219] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/31/2023] [Revised: 11/29/2023] [Accepted: 12/01/2023] [Indexed: 12/24/2023] Open
Abstract
Microplastics (MPs) are emerging pollutants and pose a significant threat to marine ecosystems. Although previous studies have documented the mechanisms and toxic effects of aging MPs in various environments, the impact of the marine environment on MPs remains unclear. In the present study, the aging process of polystyrene (PS) in seawater was simulated and the changes in its physicochemical properties were investigated. Our results showed that the surface of the PS eroded in the seawater, which was accompanied by the release of aged MPs with a smaller size. In situ optical photothermal infrared microspectroscopy revealed that the mechanism of PS aging was related to the opening of the carbonyl group and breaking of the bond between carbon and benzene removal. To verify the toxic effects of aged PS, Caenorhabditis elegans was exposed to PS. Aged PS resulted in a greater reduction in locomotion, vitality, and reproduction than virgin PS. Mechanistically, aged PS led to oxidative stress, high glutathione s-transferase activity, and high total glutathione in worms. Together, our findings provided novel information regarding the accelerated aging of PS in seawater and the increased toxicity of aged PS, which could improve our understanding of MPs' ecotoxicity in the marine environment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tong Zhou
- Key Laboratory of High Magnetic Field and Ion Beam Physical Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Anhui Province Key Laboratory of Environmental Toxicology and Pollution Control Technology, High Magnetic Field Laboratory, Hefei Institutes of Physical Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Hefei 230031, China
- School of Graduate Students, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei 230026, China
| | - Jiajie Wu
- Key Laboratory of High Magnetic Field and Ion Beam Physical Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Anhui Province Key Laboratory of Environmental Toxicology and Pollution Control Technology, High Magnetic Field Laboratory, Hefei Institutes of Physical Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Hefei 230031, China
- School of Graduate Students, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei 230026, China
| | - Yun Liu
- Key Laboratory of High Magnetic Field and Ion Beam Physical Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Anhui Province Key Laboratory of Environmental Toxicology and Pollution Control Technology, High Magnetic Field Laboratory, Hefei Institutes of Physical Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Hefei 230031, China
- School of Graduate Students, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei 230026, China
| | - An Xu
- Key Laboratory of High Magnetic Field and Ion Beam Physical Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Anhui Province Key Laboratory of Environmental Toxicology and Pollution Control Technology, High Magnetic Field Laboratory, Hefei Institutes of Physical Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Hefei 230031, China
- School of Graduate Students, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei 230026, China
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28
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Lin Q, Pang L, Ngo HH, Guo W, Zhao S, Liu L, Chen L, Li F. Occurrence of microplastics in three types of household cleaning products and their estimated emissions into the aquatic environment. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2023; 902:165903. [PMID: 37524188 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.165903] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/18/2023] [Revised: 07/13/2023] [Accepted: 07/28/2023] [Indexed: 08/02/2023]
Abstract
Microplastics (MPs) in household cleaning products are a significant source of primary MPs. However, their presence in these products remain largely unknown. In this study, three types of common household cleaning products (laundry detergents, toilet bowl cleaners, and dishwashing detergents) were examined to assess the presence of MPs. The potential global emissions of MPs into aquatic environments resulting from the use of these products were estimated using statistics on global wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) and household cleaning product markets. The average abundance of MPs in household cleaning products was 564.97 ± 327.83 n·kg-1, with toilet bowl cleaners having a significantly higher abundance than the other two products. The most commonly detected polymers in these products were polyamide (PA), silicone, polyurethane (PU), acrylate copolymer (ACR), polyethylene (PE), and polyethylene terephthalate (PET), while the size of the MPs ranged from 21.34 to 442.97 μm, with 81.52 % being <50 μm and 87.32 % being fragment-shaped. The estimated annual MP emissions from these three types of household cleaning products were 3.88 × 1013 ± 1.35 × 1013, with toilet bowl cleaners accounting for 56.44 % of the total emissions. MPs directly released without treatment in WWTPs (2.46 × 1013 n year-1) accounted for 63.40 % of the total emissions, highlighting the importance of increasing the treated rate of wastewater to reduce MP emissions. Sensitivity tests indicated that increasing the MP removal rates of secondary and tertiary WWTPs could also effectively reduce MP emissions. Moreover, gross and per capita MP emissions in 149 countries showed significant differences, which could be attributed to population, market size, demand for household cleaning products, and the level of MP removal among different countries. The findings of this study provide important insights into controlling MP contamination in household cleaning products.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qianhui Lin
- Institute of Coastal Environmental Pollution Control, College of Environmental Science and Engineering, Key Laboratory of Marine Environment and Ecology, Ministry of Education, Ocean University of China, Qingdao 266100, China
| | - Lihua Pang
- Institute of Coastal Environmental Pollution Control, College of Environmental Science and Engineering, Key Laboratory of Marine Environment and Ecology, Ministry of Education, Ocean University of China, Qingdao 266100, China
| | - Huu Hao Ngo
- School of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Technology Sydney, Sydney, NWS 2007, Australia
| | - Wenshan Guo
- School of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Technology Sydney, Sydney, NWS 2007, Australia
| | - Shasha Zhao
- Institute of Coastal Environmental Pollution Control, College of Environmental Science and Engineering, Key Laboratory of Marine Environment and Ecology, Ministry of Education, Ocean University of China, Qingdao 266100, China.
| | - Liuqingqing Liu
- Institute of Coastal Environmental Pollution Control, College of Environmental Science and Engineering, Key Laboratory of Marine Environment and Ecology, Ministry of Education, Ocean University of China, Qingdao 266100, China
| | - Lingyun Chen
- Faculty of Agricultural, Life and Environmental Science, University of Alberta, Edmonton T6G 2P5, Canada
| | - Fengmin Li
- Institute of Coastal Environmental Pollution Control, College of Environmental Science and Engineering, Key Laboratory of Marine Environment and Ecology, Ministry of Education, Ocean University of China, Qingdao 266100, China; Sanya Oceanographic Institution, Ocean University of China, Sanya 572000, China; Marine Ecology and Environmental Science Laboratory, Pilot National Laboratory for Marine Science and Technology, Qingdao 266071, China.
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Sapkale D, Kurkute P, Mistry A, Pandit SV. Polyethylene Microplastics Affected Survival Rate, Food Intake and Altered Oxidative Stress Parameters in Freshwater Snail Indoplanorbis exustus. BULLETIN OF ENVIRONMENTAL CONTAMINATION AND TOXICOLOGY 2023; 111:67. [PMID: 37940785 DOI: 10.1007/s00128-023-03813-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/13/2023] [Accepted: 09/18/2023] [Indexed: 11/10/2023]
Abstract
Microplastics have a negative impact on aquatic ecosystems. Gastropod mollusks serve as bioindicators and are good model systems for ecotoxicological studies. To assess oxidative damage, we exposed the ram's horn snail, Indoplanorbis exustus, to various concentrations of low-density polyethylene microplastics (size range 8-100 µm). The main objectives were microplastics preparation, characterization, and examination of their effect on the essential organs of I. exustus. Scanning electron microscopy, fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and x-ray diffraction techniques confirmed the polymer type of laboratory prepared polyethylene microplastics. The LC50 value of microplastics for snails was calculated to be 872 mg/L after 96 h of exposure. We observed a significant elevation in superoxide dismutase, catalase and lipid peroxidation levels with increasing concentrations of microplastics. Microplastics exposure also affected protein content, total food intake and total weights. Moreover, snails failed to recover post-treatment. Snails collected from contaminated source of microplastics served as positive control for the study. Hence, we can conclude that microplastics cause overall impairment in the physiological parameters and show adverse effects on the freshwater snail, I. exustus.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dipak Sapkale
- Department of Zoology, Savitribai Phule Pune University, Pune, Maharashtra, 411007, India
| | - Pratibha Kurkute
- Department of Zoology, Savitribai Phule Pune University, Pune, Maharashtra, 411007, India
| | - Anurupa Mistry
- Department of Zoology, Savitribai Phule Pune University, Pune, Maharashtra, 411007, India
| | - Sangeeta V Pandit
- Department of Zoology, Savitribai Phule Pune University, Pune, Maharashtra, 411007, India.
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30
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Silva MG, Oliveira MM, Peixoto F. Assessing micro and nanoplastics toxicity using rodent models: Investigating potential mitochondrial implications. Toxicology 2023; 499:153656. [PMID: 37879514 DOI: 10.1016/j.tox.2023.153656] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/22/2023] [Revised: 10/05/2023] [Accepted: 10/20/2023] [Indexed: 10/27/2023]
Abstract
Mitochondria's role as a central hub in cellular metabolism and signaling cascades is well established in the scientific community, being a classic marker of organisms' response to toxicant exposure. Nonetheless, little is known concerning the effects of emerging contaminants, such as microplastics, on mitochondrial metabolism. Micro- and nanoplastics present one of the major problems faced by modern societies. What was once an environmental problem is now recognized as an one-health issue, but little is known concerning microplastic impact on human health. Indeed, only recently, human exposure to microplastics was acknowledged by the World Health Organization, resulting in a growing interest in this research topic. Nonetheless, the mechanisms behind micro- and nanoplastics toxicity are yet to be understood. Animal models, nowadays, are the most appropriate approach to uncovering this knowledge gap. In the present review article, we explore investigations from the last two years using rodent models and reach to find the molecular mechanism behind micro- and nanoplastics toxicity and if mitochondria can act as a target. Although no research article has addressed the effects of mitochondria yet, reports have highlighted molecular and biochemical alterations that could be linked to mitochondrial function. Furthermore, certain studies described the effects of disruptions in mitochondrial metabolism, such as oxidative stress. Micro- and nanoplastics may, directly and indirectly, affect this vital organelle. Investigations concerning this topic should be encouraged once they can bring us closer to understanding the mechanisms underlying these particles' harmful effects on human health.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mónica G Silva
- Chemistry Research Centre (CQ-VR), University of Trás-os-Montes and Alto Douro (UTAD), 5000-801 Vila Real, Portugal.
| | - Maria Manuel Oliveira
- Chemistry Research Centre (CQ-VR), Chemistry Department, University of Trás-os-Montes and Alto Douro (UTAD), 5000-801 Vila Real, Portugal
| | - Francisco Peixoto
- Chemistry Research Centre (CQ-VR), Biology and Environment Department University of Trás-os-Montes and Alto Douro (UTAD), 5000-801 Vila Real, Portugal
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31
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Savva K, Farré M, Barata C. Sublethal effects of bio-plastic microparticles and their components on the behaviour of Daphnia magna. ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH 2023; 236:116775. [PMID: 37517491 DOI: 10.1016/j.envres.2023.116775] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/05/2023] [Revised: 07/12/2023] [Accepted: 07/27/2023] [Indexed: 08/01/2023]
Abstract
Bioplastics arise as an alternative to plastic production delinked from fossil resources. However, as their demand is increasing, there is a need to investigate their environmental fingerprint. Here we study the toxicity of microplastics (MPLs) of two widely used materials, the polylactic acid (PLA) and the polyhydroxybutyrate (PHB) on the environmental aquatic model species Daphnia magna. The study was focused on sublethal behavioural and feeding endpoints linked to antipredator scape responses and food intake. The study aimed to test that MPLs from single-use household comercial items and among them bioplastics should be more toxic than those obtained from standard plastic polymers and fossil plastic materials due to the greater amount of plastic additives, and that MPLs should be more toxic than plastic extracts due to the contribution of both particle and plastic additive toxicity. MPLs were obtained by cryogenic grinding and sea-sand erosion to obtain irregular particles. MPL included standard polymers and nine comercial items of PLA and PHB and one fossil-based material of high-density polyethylene (HDPE). The additive content in commercial items was characterised by liquid chromatography coupled with high-resolution mass spectrometry. D. magna juveniles were exposed for 24 h to particles and their plastic extracts. Results indicated that the toxicity of bioplastic particles was five times higher than the effects produced by exposure to the content of the additives alone, that bioplastic particles were more toxic than fossil ones and that particles obtained from commercial items were more toxic than those obtained from PLA, PHB or HDPE polymer standards. Predicted toxicity from the measured plastic additives in the studied commercially available household items, however, was poorly related with the observed behavioural and feeding effects. Further research on unknown chemical components together with physical factors is need it to fully understand the mechanisms of toxicity of bioplastic materials.
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Affiliation(s)
- Katerina Savva
- Institute for Environmental Assessment and Water Research (IDAEA-CSIC), Jordi Girona 18, 08034, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Marinella Farré
- Institute for Environmental Assessment and Water Research (IDAEA-CSIC), Jordi Girona 18, 08034, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Carlos Barata
- Institute for Environmental Assessment and Water Research (IDAEA-CSIC), Jordi Girona 18, 08034, Barcelona, Spain.
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32
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Das A. The emerging role of microplastics in systemic toxicity: Involvement of reactive oxygen species (ROS). THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2023; 895:165076. [PMID: 37391150 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.165076] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 37.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/08/2023] [Revised: 06/19/2023] [Accepted: 06/20/2023] [Indexed: 07/02/2023]
Abstract
Plastic pollution is one of the most pressing environmental threats the world is facing currently. The degradation of macroplastics into smaller forms viz. microplastics (MPs) or Nanoplastics (NPs) is a potential threat to both terrestrial and marine ecosystems and also to human health by directly affecting the organs and activating a plethora of intracellular signaling, that may lead to cell death. There is accumulating evidence that supports the serious toxicity caused by MP/NPs at all levels of biological complexities (biomolecules, organelles, cells, tissues, organs, and organ systems) and the involvement of the reactive oxygen species (ROS) in this process. Studies indicate that MPs or NPs can accumulate in mitochondria and further disrupt the mitochondrial electron transport chain, cause mitochondrial membrane damage, and perturb the mitochondrial membrane potential or depolarization of the mitochondria. These events eventually lead to the generation of different types of reactive free radicals, which can induce DNA damage, protein oxidation, lipid peroxidation, and compromization of the antioxidant defense pool. Furthermore, MP-induced ROS was found to trigger a plethora of signaling cascades, such as the p53 signaling pathway, Mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPKs) signaling pathway including the c-Jun N-terminal kinases (JNK), p38 kinase, and extracellular signal related kinases (ERK1/2) signaling cascades, Nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (Nrf2)-pathway, Phosphatidylinositol-3-kinases (PI3Ks)/Akt signaling pathway, and Transforming growth factor-beta (TGF-β) pathways, to name a few. As a consequence of oxidative stress caused by the MPs/NPs, different types of organ damage are observed in living species, including humans, such as pulmonary toxicity, cardiotoxicity, neurotoxicity, nephrotoxicity, immunotoxicity, reproductive toxicity, hepatotoxicity, etc. Although presently, a good amount of research is going on to access the detrimental effects of MPs/NPs on human health, there is a lack of proper model systems, multi-omics approaches, interdisciplinary research, and mitigation strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amlan Das
- Department of Biochemistry, School of Biosciences, The Assam Royal Global University, NH-37, opp. Tirupati Balaji Temple, Betkuchi, Guwahati, Assam 781035, India.
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Neelavannan K, Sen IS. Microplastics in Freshwater Ecosystems of India: Current Trends and Future Perspectives. ACS OMEGA 2023; 8:34235-34248. [PMID: 37780028 PMCID: PMC10536847 DOI: 10.1021/acsomega.3c01214] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/23/2023] [Accepted: 09/04/2023] [Indexed: 10/03/2023]
Abstract
Microplastics (MPs)-i.e., plastic particles less than 5 mm in length-are becoming a growing environmental concern due to their potential ecotoxicological impacts on aquatic ecosystems. In India, MPs contamination is a significantly growing problem due to increased plastic production as well as its low rate of recycling. As a result, MPs research work in India has gained considerable attention in the last two decades. The objective of this study is to conduct a comprehensive review of the existing scientific literature on MPs in freshwater ecosystems (e.g., lakes and rivers) of India. A bibliographical search was used to conduct the literature review across a number of databases including ScienceDirect, Google Scholar, and ResearchGate. We found that in comparison to the marine ecosystem the source, transport, and fate of MPs in freshwater ecosystems of India are still underexplored, and we found only 18 relevant papers. This review work reveals that there is no standard procedure for separating MPs from water and sediment samples, and as a result, comparing the results was a challenging task. The larger MPs (>500 μm) in water and sediments were identified most commonly using the attenuated total reflection (ATR) Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy technique (ATR-FTIR), whereas smaller-sized MPs (<500 μm) were identified using FTIR fitted with a confocal microscope, also known as μ-FTIR imaging or chemical imaging. We found that white-colored fibers and fragments of polypropylene (PP), polyethylene terephthalate (PET), and polyethylene (PE) were the most common polymer types in the freshwater ecosystems of India. Although research on MPs in freshwater ecosystems of India has gained momentum over the past decade, the literature review reveals a limited understanding of the impact of MPs' weathering patterns, the role of biofouling, and the role of water hyacinths on freshwater ecosystem services in India. Furthermore, the fluxes of MPs to the Indian oceans are not constrained, and atmospheric transport in high-altitude mountains, which have already been made fragile by climate change, has not been fully investigated. This study, therefore, calls for additional assessments of MPs in freshwater ecosystems-particularly in the central parts of India.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Indra Sekhar Sen
- Department of Earth Sciences, Indian Institute of Technology Kanpur, Kanpur, UP 208016, India
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Na J, Song J, Jung J. Elevated temperature enhanced lethal and sublethal acute toxicity of polyethylene microplastic fragments in Daphnia magna. ENVIRONMENTAL TOXICOLOGY AND PHARMACOLOGY 2023; 102:104212. [PMID: 37429449 DOI: 10.1016/j.etap.2023.104212] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/17/2023] [Revised: 06/13/2023] [Accepted: 07/05/2023] [Indexed: 07/12/2023]
Abstract
Microplastic (MP) pollution poses a growing concern in freshwater ecosystems, which are further threatened by global warming. Thus, this study investigated the effect of elevated temperature (25 °C) on acute toxicity of polyethylene MP fragments to Daphnia magna over a 48 h period. At the reference temperature (20 °C), MP fragments (41.88 ± 5.71 µm) induced over 70 times higher lethal toxicity than that induced by MP beads (44.50 ± 2.50 µm), with median effective concentrations (EC50) of 3.89 and 275.89 mg L-1, respectively. Elevated temperature significantly increased (p < 0.05) the lethal (EC50 = 1.88 mg L-1) and sublethal (lipid peroxidation and total antioxidant capacity) toxicity in D. magna exposed to MP fragments compared to those at the reference temperature. Additionally, the elevated temperature led to a significant increase (p < 0.05) in the bioconcentration of MP fragments in D. magna. Overall, the present study increases understanding for the ecological risk assessment of microplastics under global warming, highlights that elevated temperature can be seriously increased bioconcentration of MP fragments, leading to increased acute toxicity in D. magna.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joorim Na
- O-Jeong Eco-Resilience Institute (OJERI), Korea University, Seoul 02841, Republic of Korea
| | - Jinyoung Song
- Division of Environmental Science and Ecological Engineering, Korea University, Seoul 02841, Republic of Korea
| | - Jinho Jung
- Division of Environmental Science and Ecological Engineering, Korea University, Seoul 02841, Republic of Korea.
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35
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König Kardgar A, Ghosh D, Sturve J, Agarwal S, Carney Almroth B. Chronic poly(l-lactide) (PLA)- microplastic ingestion affects social behavior of juvenile European perch (Perca fluviatilis). THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2023; 881:163425. [PMID: 37059150 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.163425] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/16/2023] [Revised: 03/17/2023] [Accepted: 04/06/2023] [Indexed: 06/01/2023]
Abstract
Juvenile perch were exposed to 2 % (w/w) poly(l-lactide) (PLA) microplastic particles (90-150 μm) in food pellets, or 2 % (w/w) kaolin particles, and a non-particle control food over 6 months. Chronic ingestion of PLA microplastics significantly affected the social behavior of juvenile perch, evident as a significantly increased reaction to the vision of conspecifics. PLA ingestion did not alter life cycle parameters, or gene expression levels. In addition to reactions to conspecifics, fish that ingested microplastic particles showed tendencies to decrease locomotion, internal schooling distance, and active predator responses. The ingestion of natural particles (kaolin) significantly downregulated the expression of genes related to oxidative stress and androgenesis in the liver of juvenile perch, and we found tendencies to downregulated expression of genes related to xenobiotic response, inflammatory response, and thyroid disruption. The present study demonstrated the importance of natural particle inclusion and the potential behavioral toxicity of one of the commercially available biobased and biodegradable polymers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Azora König Kardgar
- Department of Biological and Environmental Sciences, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden.
| | - Dipannita Ghosh
- Macromolecular Chemistry II, University of Bayreuth, Bayreuth, Germany.
| | - Joachim Sturve
- Department of Biological and Environmental Sciences, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden.
| | - Seema Agarwal
- Macromolecular Chemistry II, University of Bayreuth, Bayreuth, Germany.
| | - Bethanie Carney Almroth
- Department of Biological and Environmental Sciences, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden.
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36
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Jaafarzadeh Haghighi Fard N, Mohammadi MJ, Jahedi F. Effects of nano and microplastics on the reproduction system: In vitro and in vivo studies review. Food Chem Toxicol 2023:113938. [PMID: 37429406 DOI: 10.1016/j.fct.2023.113938] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/25/2023] [Revised: 07/06/2023] [Accepted: 07/07/2023] [Indexed: 07/12/2023]
Abstract
Microplastics (MPs) and nanoplastics (NPs), as their name suggest, are tiny plastic particles. The negative impact of MPs as an emerging pollutant on humans is not hidden from anyone. Recent research on how this pollutant affects the reproductive system and how it enters the blood, placenta, and semen has attracted the attention of scientists. This review study deals with the reproductive toxicity of MPs particles in terrestrial animals, aquatic animals, soil fauna, human cells, and human placenta. In vitro and in vivo animal studies showed that MPs can lead to reduced fertility in men, reduced ovarian capacity, apoptosis of granulosa cells, or even reduced sperm motility. They cause oxidative stress and cell apoptosis and inflammatory effects. The results of these animal studies show that MPs may have similar effects on the human reproductive system. However, not much research has been done on human reproductive toxicity by MPs. Therefore, special attention should be paid to the toxicity of the reproductive system by MPs. The purpose of this comprehensive study is to express the importance of the impact of MPs on the reproductive system. These results provide new insight into the potential dangers of MPs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Neamatollah Jaafarzadeh Haghighi Fard
- Environmental Technologies Research Center, Ahvaz Jundishapur University of Medical Sciences, Ahvaz, Iran; Department of Environmental Health Engineering, School of Public Health, Ahvaz Jundishapur University of Medical Sciences, Ahvaz, Iran
| | - Mohammad Javad Mohammadi
- Department of Environmental Health Engineering, School of Public Health, Ahvaz Jundishapur University of Medical Sciences, Ahvaz, Iran
| | - Faezeh Jahedi
- Department of Environmental Health Engineering, School of Public Health, Ahvaz Jundishapur University of Medical Sciences, Ahvaz, Iran; Student Research Committee, Ahvaz Jundishapur University of Medical Sciences, Ahvaz, Iran.
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37
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Zhong L, Wu T, Sun HJ, Ding J, Pang JW, Zhang L, Ren NQ, Yang SS. Recent advances towards micro(nano)plastics research in wetland ecosystems: A systematic review on sources, removal, and ecological impacts. JOURNAL OF HAZARDOUS MATERIALS 2023; 452:131341. [PMID: 37023576 DOI: 10.1016/j.jhazmat.2023.131341] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 16.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/09/2023] [Revised: 03/20/2023] [Accepted: 03/31/2023] [Indexed: 05/03/2023]
Abstract
In recent years, microplastics/nanoplastics (MPs/NPs) have received substantial attention worldwide owing to their wide applications, persistence, and potential risks. Wetland systems are considered to be an important "sink" for MPs/NPs, which can have potential ecological and environmental effects on the ecosystem. This paper provides a comprehensive and systematic review of the sources and characteristics of MPs/NPs in wetland ecosystems, together with a detailed analysis of MP/NP removal and associated mechanisms in wetland systems. In addition, the eco-toxicological effects of MPs/NPs in wetland ecosystems, including plant, animal, and microbial responses, were reviewed with a focus on changes in the microbial community relevant to pollutant removal. The effects of MPs/NPs exposure on conventional pollutant removal by wetland systems and their greenhouse gas emissions are also discussed. Finally, current knowledge gaps and future recommendations are presented, including the ecological impact of exposure to various MPs/NPs on wetland ecosystems and the ecological risks of MPs/NPs associated with the migration of different contaminants and antibiotic resistance genes. This work will facilitate a better understanding of the sources, characteristics, and environmental and ecological impacts of MPs/NPs in wetland ecosystems, and provide a new perspective to promote development in this field.
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Affiliation(s)
- Le Zhong
- State Key Laboratory of Urban Water Resource and Environment, School of Environment, Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin 150090, China
| | - Tong Wu
- State Key Laboratory of Urban Water Resource and Environment, School of Environment, Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin 150090, China
| | - Han-Jun Sun
- State Key Laboratory of Urban Water Resource and Environment, School of Environment, Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin 150090, China
| | - Jie Ding
- National Engineering Research Center for Bioenergy, School of Environment, Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin 150090, China.
| | - Ji-Wei Pang
- China Energy Conservation and Environmental Protection Group, CECEP Talroad Technology Co., Ltd., Beijing 100096, China
| | - Luyan Zhang
- School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Yancheng Institute of Technology, Yancheng 224051, China
| | - Nan-Qi Ren
- State Key Laboratory of Urban Water Resource and Environment, School of Environment, Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin 150090, China
| | - Shan-Shan Yang
- State Key Laboratory of Urban Water Resource and Environment, School of Environment, Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin 150090, China.
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38
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Brehm J, Ritschar S, Laforsch C, Mair MM. The complexity of micro- and nanoplastic research in the genus Daphnia - A systematic review of study variability and a meta-analysis of immobilization rates. JOURNAL OF HAZARDOUS MATERIALS 2023; 458:131839. [PMID: 37348369 DOI: 10.1016/j.jhazmat.2023.131839] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/24/2023] [Revised: 06/09/2023] [Accepted: 06/10/2023] [Indexed: 06/24/2023]
Abstract
In recent years, the number of publications on nano- and microplastic particles (NMPs) effects on freshwater organisms has increased rapidly. Freshwater crustaceans of the genus Daphnia are widely used in ecotoxicological research as model organisms for assessing the impact of NMPs. However, the diversity of experimental designs in these studies makes conclusions about the general impact of NMPs on Daphnia challenging. To approach this, we systematically reviewed the literature on NMP effects on Daphnia and summarized the diversity of test organisms, experimental conditions, NMP properties and measured endpoints to identify gaps in our knowledge of NMP effects on Daphnia. We use a meta-analysis on mortality and immobilization rates extracted from the compiled literature to illustrate how NMP properties, study parameters and the biology of Daphnia can impact outcomes in toxicity bioassays. In addition, we investigate the extent to which the available data can be used to predict the toxicity of untested NMPs based on the extracted parameters. Based on our results, we argue that focusing on a more diverse set of NMP properties combined with a more detailed characterization of the particles in future studies will help to fill current research gaps, improve predictive models and allow the identification of NMP properties linked to toxicity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Julian Brehm
- Animal Ecology I, University of Bayreuth, Bayreuth, Germany
| | - Sven Ritschar
- Animal Ecology I, University of Bayreuth, Bayreuth, Germany
| | - Christian Laforsch
- Animal Ecology I, University of Bayreuth, Bayreuth, Germany; Bayreuth Center for Ecology and Environmental Research (BayCEER), Bayreuth, Germany.
| | - Magdalena M Mair
- Bayreuth Center for Ecology and Environmental Research (BayCEER), Bayreuth, Germany; Statistical Ecotoxicology, University of Bayreuth, Bayreuth, Germany.
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39
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Zhang J, Jie W, Cheng G, Gu Z, Liu X. Transcriptome analysis of response mechanism to Microcystin-LR and microplastics stress in Asian clam (Corbicula fluminea). FISH & SHELLFISH IMMUNOLOGY 2023:108875. [PMID: 37285876 DOI: 10.1016/j.fsi.2023.108875] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/12/2023] [Revised: 05/11/2023] [Accepted: 06/01/2023] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
In this study, we analyzed the hepatopancreas tissues of Asian Clam (Corbicula fluminea) exposed to three different adverse environmental conditions from the same batch using RNA-seq. The four treatment groups included the Asian Clam group treated with Microcystin-LR (MC), the Microplastics-treated group (MP), the Microcystin-LR and Microplastics-treated group (MP-MC), and the Control group. Our Gene Ontology analysis revealed 19,173 enriched genes, and the Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) enrichment analysis identified 345 related pathways. The KEGG pathway analysis demonstrated that the MC vs control group and the MP vs control group were significantly enriched in immune and catabolic pathways such as Antigen processing and presentation, Rheumatoid arthritis, Lysosome pathway, Phagosome pathway, and Autophagy pathway. We also evaluated the effects of Microplastics and Microcystin-LR on the activities of eight antioxidant enzymes and immune enzymes in Asian clams. Our study enriched the genetic resources of Asian clams and provided valuable information for understanding the response mechanism of Asian clams to microplastics and microcystin in the environment, through the identification of differentially expressed genes and related pathway analyses from the large number of transcriptome sequences obtained.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jiahua Zhang
- Fishery Machinery and Instrument Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Fishery Sciences, Shanghai, 200092, China; Key Laboratory of Aguaculture Facilities Engineering, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Shanghai, China
| | - Wang Jie
- Fishery Machinery and Instrument Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Fishery Sciences, Shanghai, 200092, China; Key Laboratory of Aguaculture Facilities Engineering, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Shanghai, China
| | - Guofeng Cheng
- Fishery Machinery and Instrument Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Fishery Sciences, Shanghai, 200092, China; Key Laboratory of Aguaculture Facilities Engineering, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Shanghai, China
| | - Zhaojun Gu
- Fishery Machinery and Instrument Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Fishery Sciences, Shanghai, 200092, China; Key Laboratory of Aguaculture Facilities Engineering, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Shanghai, China
| | - Xingguo Liu
- Fishery Machinery and Instrument Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Fishery Sciences, Shanghai, 200092, China; Key Laboratory of Aguaculture Facilities Engineering, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Shanghai, China.
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40
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Li J, Yu S, Cui M. Aged polyamide microplastics enhance the adsorption of trimethoprim in soil environments. ENVIRONMENTAL MONITORING AND ASSESSMENT 2023; 195:669. [PMID: 37184777 DOI: 10.1007/s10661-023-11350-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/24/2023] [Accepted: 05/03/2023] [Indexed: 05/16/2023]
Abstract
Microplastics (MPs) in the environment typically age. However, the influence of aged MPs on the adsorption of antibiotics in soil remains unknown. In this study, the adsorption behavior of trimethoprim (TMP) on soil and soil containing aged polyamide (PA) was investigated using batch and stirred flow chamber experiments. The adsorption of TMP on the tested soil with and without PA was fast, with the ka values ranging from 50.5 to 55.6 L (mg min)-1. The adsorption of TMP on aged PA was more than 20 times larger than that on the tested soil, which resulted in an "enrichment effect." Furthermore, aged PA altered the pH of the reaction system, thereby enhancing the adsorption of TMP. Consequently, the Kd values of TMP for soil, soil containing 5%, and 10% aged PA were 5.64, 12.38, and 23.65 L kg-1, respectively. The effect of aged PA on the adsorption of TMP on soil depended on pH values. However, TMP adsorption on soil containing 10% aged PA was constantly higher (p < 0.01) than that on soil with NaCl concentrations ranging from 0 to 50 mmol L-1. These findings provide new insights into the effect of environmental MPs on the fate and transport of antibiotics in soil environments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jia Li
- College of Environmental Science and Engineering, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, 225127, China.
| | - Songguo Yu
- College of Environmental Science and Engineering, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, 225127, China
| | - Min Cui
- College of Environmental Science and Engineering, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, 225127, China
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Kim Y, Kalimuthu P, Nam G, Jung J. Cyanobacteria control using Cu-based metal organic frameworks derived from waste PET bottles. ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH 2023; 224:115532. [PMID: 36822531 DOI: 10.1016/j.envres.2023.115532] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/16/2022] [Revised: 01/30/2023] [Accepted: 02/19/2023] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
Copper sulfate (CuSO4) is actively used to control the proliferation of harmful algal blooms because of its fast and effective killing mechanism. However, its use unintentionally harms innocuous aquatic organisms. Therefore, there is a need to find non-toxic solutions for controlling algal blooms. In this study, Cu-based metal-organic framework (Cu-BDC MOF) chips (ca. 2 × 2 cm) were synthesized using waste polyethylene terephthalate (PET) bottles. The as-synthesized Cu-BDC MOF chips efficiently inhibited the cyanobacteria species Microcystis aeruginosa, which was comparable to the conventional dose of CuSO4 algaecide (1.00 mg L-1). Moreover, unlike the CuSO4 algaecide, Cu-BDC MOF chips did not cause any acute toxicity (48 h) to the water flea Daphnia magna. Both Cu-BDC MOF and Cu2O seemed to be responsible for the generation of reactive oxygen species, which resulted in the aggregation, photosynthesis disruption, and eventually growth inhibition of M. aeruginosa. This study suggests that the environmentally safe Cu-BDC MOF chip is a promising agent to sustainably control harmful algal blooms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Youjin Kim
- Division of Environmental Science and Ecological Engineering, Korea University, Seoul, 02841, Republic of Korea
| | - Pandi Kalimuthu
- BK21 FOUR R&E Center for Environmental Science and Ecological Engineering, Korea University, Seoul, 02841, Republic of Korea
| | - Gwiwoong Nam
- Division of Environmental Science and Ecological Engineering, Korea University, Seoul, 02841, Republic of Korea
| | - Jinho Jung
- Division of Environmental Science and Ecological Engineering, Korea University, Seoul, 02841, Republic of Korea.
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Svigruha R, Prikler B, Farkas A, Ács A, Fodor I, Tapolczai K, Schmidt J, Bordós G, Háhn J, Harkai P, Kaszab E, Szoboszlay S, Pirger Z. Presence, variation, and potential ecological impact of microplastics in the largest shallow lake of Central Europe. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2023; 883:163537. [PMID: 37075990 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.163537] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/08/2022] [Revised: 04/11/2023] [Accepted: 04/12/2023] [Indexed: 05/03/2023]
Abstract
The presence of microplastics (MPs) in the global ecosystem has generated a rapidly growing concern worldwide. Although their presence in the marine environment has been well-studied, much less data are available on their abundance in freshwaters. MPs alone and in combination with different chemicals has been shown to cause acute and chronic effects on algae and aquatic invertebrate and vertebrate species at different biological levels. However, the combined ecotoxicological effects of MPs with different chemicals on aquatic organisms are still understudied in many species and the reported data are often controversial. In the present study, we investigated, for the first time, the presence of MPs in Lake Balaton, which is the largest shallow lake of Central Europe and an important summer holiday destination. Moreover, we exposed neonates of the well-established ecotoxicological model organism Daphnia magna to different MPs (polystyrene [3 μm] or polyethylene [≤ 100 μm]) alone and in combination with three progestogen compounds (progesterone, drospirenone, levonorgestrel) at an environmentally relevant concentration (10 ng L-1) for 21 days. The presence of 7 polymer types of MPs in the size range of 50-100 μm was detected in Lake Balaton. Similarly to the global trends, polypropylene and polyethylene MPs were the most common types of polymer. The calculated polymer-independent average particle number was 5.5 particles m-3 (size range: 50 μm - 100 μm) which represents the values detected in other European lakes. Our ecotoxicological experiments confirmed that MPs and progestogens can affect D. magna at the behavioral (body size and reproduction) and biochemical (detoxification-related enzyme activity) levels. The joint effects were negligible. The presence of MPs may lead to reduced fitness in the aquatic biota in freshwaters such as Lake Balaton, however, the potential threat of MPs as vectors for progestogens may be limited.
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Affiliation(s)
- Réka Svigruha
- Ecophysiological and Environmental Toxicological Research Group, Balaton Limnological Research Institute, Eötvös Loránd Research Network (ELKH), 8237 Tihany, Hungary
| | - Bence Prikler
- Eurofins-Wessling Hungary Ltd, 1045 Budapest, Hungary; Institute of Aquaculture and Environmental Safety, Hungarian University of Agriculture and Life Sciences, 2100 Gödöllő, Hungary
| | - Anna Farkas
- Ecophysiological and Environmental Toxicological Research Group, Balaton Limnological Research Institute, Eötvös Loránd Research Network (ELKH), 8237 Tihany, Hungary
| | - András Ács
- Ecophysiological and Environmental Toxicological Research Group, Balaton Limnological Research Institute, Eötvös Loránd Research Network (ELKH), 8237 Tihany, Hungary
| | - István Fodor
- Ecophysiological and Environmental Toxicological Research Group, Balaton Limnological Research Institute, Eötvös Loránd Research Network (ELKH), 8237 Tihany, Hungary
| | - Kálmán Tapolczai
- Aquatic Botany and Microbial Ecology Research Group, Balaton Limnological Research Institute, Eötvös Loránd Research Network (ELKH), 8237 Tihany, Hungary
| | - János Schmidt
- Institute of Biochemistry and Medical Chemistry, Medical School, University of Pécs, 7624 Pécs, Hungary
| | - Gábor Bordós
- Eurofins-Wessling Hungary Ltd, 1045 Budapest, Hungary
| | - Judit Háhn
- Institute of Aquaculture and Environmental Safety, Hungarian University of Agriculture and Life Sciences, 2100 Gödöllő, Hungary
| | - Péter Harkai
- Institute of Aquaculture and Environmental Safety, Hungarian University of Agriculture and Life Sciences, 2100 Gödöllő, Hungary
| | - Edit Kaszab
- Institute of Aquaculture and Environmental Safety, Hungarian University of Agriculture and Life Sciences, 2100 Gödöllő, Hungary
| | - Sándor Szoboszlay
- Institute of Aquaculture and Environmental Safety, Hungarian University of Agriculture and Life Sciences, 2100 Gödöllő, Hungary
| | - Zsolt Pirger
- Ecophysiological and Environmental Toxicological Research Group, Balaton Limnological Research Institute, Eötvös Loránd Research Network (ELKH), 8237 Tihany, Hungary.
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Moura DS, Pestana CJ, Moffat CF, Hui J, Irvine JTS, Lawton LA. Characterisation of microplastics is key for reliable data interpretation. CHEMOSPHERE 2023; 331:138691. [PMID: 37076081 DOI: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2023.138691] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/17/2023] [Revised: 03/10/2023] [Accepted: 04/12/2023] [Indexed: 05/03/2023]
Abstract
Microplastic research has gained attention due to the increased detection of microplastics (<5 mm size) in the aquatic environment. Most laboratory-based research of microplastics is performed using microparticles from specific suppliers with either superficial or no characterisation performed to confirm the physico-chemical information detailed by the supplier. The current study has selected 21 published adsorption studies to evaluate how the microplastics were characterised by the authors prior experimentation. Additionally, six microplastic types described as 'small' (10-25 μm) and 'large' (100 μm) were commercially acquired from a single supplier. A detailed characterisation was performed using Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), x-ray diffraction, differential scanning calorimetry, scanning electron microscopy, particle size analysis, and N2-Brunauer, Emmett and Teller adsorption-desorption surface area analysis. The size and the polymer composition of some of the material provided by the supplier was inconsistent with the analytical data obtained. FT-IR spectra of small polypropylene particles indicated either oxidation of the particles or the presence of a grafting agent which was absent in the large particles. A wide range of sizes for the small particles was observed: polyethylene (0.2-549 μm), polyethylene terephthalate (7-91 μm) and polystyrene (1-79 μm). Small polyamide (D50 75 μm) showed a greater median particle size and similar size distribution when compared to large polyamide (D50 65 μm). Moreover, small polyamide was found to be semi-crystalline, while the large polyamide displayed an amorphous form. The type of microplastic and the size of the particles are a key factor in determining the adsorption of pollutants and subsequent ingestion by aquatic organisms. Acquiring uniform particle sizes is challenging, however based on this study, characterisation of any materials used in microplastic-related experiments is critical to ensure reliable interpretation of results, thereby providing a better understanding of the potential environmental consequences of the presence of microplastics in aquatic ecosystems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Diana S Moura
- School of Pharmacy and Life Sciences, Robert Gordon University, Aberdeen, AB10 7GJ, UK.
| | - Carlos J Pestana
- School of Pharmacy and Life Sciences, Robert Gordon University, Aberdeen, AB10 7GJ, UK
| | - Colin F Moffat
- School of Pharmacy and Life Sciences, Robert Gordon University, Aberdeen, AB10 7GJ, UK
| | - Jianing Hui
- School of Chemistry, University of St Andrews, North Haugh, St Andrews, Scotland, KY16 9ST, UK
| | - John T S Irvine
- School of Chemistry, University of St Andrews, North Haugh, St Andrews, Scotland, KY16 9ST, UK
| | - Linda A Lawton
- School of Pharmacy and Life Sciences, Robert Gordon University, Aberdeen, AB10 7GJ, UK
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Marchant DJ, Martínez Rodríguez A, Francelle P, Jones JI, Kratina P. Contrasting the effects of microplastic types, concentrations and nutrient enrichment on freshwater communities and ecosystem functioning. ECOTOXICOLOGY AND ENVIRONMENTAL SAFETY 2023; 255:114834. [PMID: 36989946 DOI: 10.1016/j.ecoenv.2023.114834] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/21/2022] [Revised: 03/07/2023] [Accepted: 03/23/2023] [Indexed: 06/19/2023]
Abstract
Microplastics are now ubiquitous in freshwater environments. As most previous research has focused on species-specific effects of microplastics under controlled laboratory conditions, little is known about the impact of microplastics at higher levels of ecological organisation, such as freshwater communities and their associated ecosystem functions. To fill this knowledge gap, an outdoor experiment using 40 freshwater mesocosms, each 1.57 m3, was used to determine the effects of (i) microplastic type: traditional oil-based high-density polyethylene versus bio-based biodegradable polylactic acid, (ii) concentration of microplastic particles and (iii) nutrient enrichment. The two concentrations of microplastics used were equivalent to measured environmentally occurring concentrations and concentrations known to cause toxicological effects under laboratory conditions. Freshwater communities are also at increasing risk from nutrient enrichment, which can alter community composition in favour of competitively dominant taxa. The independent and interactive effects of these treatments on pelagic community structure (phytoplankton standing stock, taxonomic richness, and composition) and ecosystem functioning (periphyton productivity and leaf litter decomposition) were assessed. Taxonomic richness and community composition were not affected by exposure to the experimental treatments and there were no significant treatment effects on phytoplankton standing stock, periphyton productivity, total or microbial leaf litter decomposition. Overall, multiple microplastic exposures, crossed with nutrient addition had little impact on the structure and functioning of semi-natural freshwater ecosystems. These findings indicate that the negative impacts of microplastics predicted from species-specific studies may not be readily realised at the ecosystem scale.
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Affiliation(s)
- Danielle J Marchant
- School of Biological and Behavioural Sciences, Queen Mary University of London, Mile End Road, London E1 4NS, United Kingdom.
| | - Ana Martínez Rodríguez
- School of Biological and Behavioural Sciences, Queen Mary University of London, Mile End Road, London E1 4NS, United Kingdom
| | - Pascaline Francelle
- School of Biological and Behavioural Sciences, Queen Mary University of London, Mile End Road, London E1 4NS, United Kingdom
| | - John Iwan Jones
- School of Biological and Behavioural Sciences, Queen Mary University of London, Mile End Road, London E1 4NS, United Kingdom
| | - Pavel Kratina
- School of Biological and Behavioural Sciences, Queen Mary University of London, Mile End Road, London E1 4NS, United Kingdom
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Landrigan PJ, Raps H, Cropper M, Bald C, Brunner M, Canonizado EM, Charles D, Chiles TC, Donohue MJ, Enck J, Fenichel P, Fleming LE, Ferrier-Pages C, Fordham R, Gozt A, Griffin C, Hahn ME, Haryanto B, Hixson R, Ianelli H, James BD, Kumar P, Laborde A, Law KL, Martin K, Mu J, Mulders Y, Mustapha A, Niu J, Pahl S, Park Y, Pedrotti ML, Pitt JA, Ruchirawat M, Seewoo BJ, Spring M, Stegeman JJ, Suk W, Symeonides C, Takada H, Thompson RC, Vicini A, Wang Z, Whitman E, Wirth D, Wolff M, Yousuf AK, Dunlop S. The Minderoo-Monaco Commission on Plastics and Human Health. Ann Glob Health 2023; 89:23. [PMID: 36969097 PMCID: PMC10038118 DOI: 10.5334/aogh.4056] [Citation(s) in RCA: 53] [Impact Index Per Article: 53.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/14/2023] [Accepted: 02/14/2023] [Indexed: 03/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Plastics have conveyed great benefits to humanity and made possible some of the most significant advances of modern civilization in fields as diverse as medicine, electronics, aerospace, construction, food packaging, and sports. It is now clear, however, that plastics are also responsible for significant harms to human health, the economy, and the earth's environment. These harms occur at every stage of the plastic life cycle, from extraction of the coal, oil, and gas that are its main feedstocks through to ultimate disposal into the environment. The extent of these harms not been systematically assessed, their magnitude not fully quantified, and their economic costs not comprehensively counted. Goals The goals of this Minderoo-Monaco Commission on Plastics and Human Health are to comprehensively examine plastics' impacts across their life cycle on: (1) human health and well-being; (2) the global environment, especially the ocean; (3) the economy; and (4) vulnerable populations-the poor, minorities, and the world's children. On the basis of this examination, the Commission offers science-based recommendations designed to support development of a Global Plastics Treaty, protect human health, and save lives. Report Structure This Commission report contains seven Sections. Following an Introduction, Section 2 presents a narrative review of the processes involved in plastic production, use, and disposal and notes the hazards to human health and the environment associated with each of these stages. Section 3 describes plastics' impacts on the ocean and notes the potential for plastic in the ocean to enter the marine food web and result in human exposure. Section 4 details plastics' impacts on human health. Section 5 presents a first-order estimate of plastics' health-related economic costs. Section 6 examines the intersection between plastic, social inequity, and environmental injustice. Section 7 presents the Commission's findings and recommendations. Plastics Plastics are complex, highly heterogeneous, synthetic chemical materials. Over 98% of plastics are produced from fossil carbon- coal, oil and gas. Plastics are comprised of a carbon-based polymer backbone and thousands of additional chemicals that are incorporated into polymers to convey specific properties such as color, flexibility, stability, water repellence, flame retardation, and ultraviolet resistance. Many of these added chemicals are highly toxic. They include carcinogens, neurotoxicants and endocrine disruptors such as phthalates, bisphenols, per- and poly-fluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), brominated flame retardants, and organophosphate flame retardants. They are integral components of plastic and are responsible for many of plastics' harms to human health and the environment.Global plastic production has increased almost exponentially since World War II, and in this time more than 8,300 megatons (Mt) of plastic have been manufactured. Annual production volume has grown from under 2 Mt in 1950 to 460 Mt in 2019, a 230-fold increase, and is on track to triple by 2060. More than half of all plastic ever made has been produced since 2002. Single-use plastics account for 35-40% of current plastic production and represent the most rapidly growing segment of plastic manufacture.Explosive recent growth in plastics production reflects a deliberate pivot by the integrated multinational fossil-carbon corporations that produce coal, oil and gas and that also manufacture plastics. These corporations are reducing their production of fossil fuels and increasing plastics manufacture. The two principal factors responsible for this pivot are decreasing global demand for carbon-based fuels due to increases in 'green' energy, and massive expansion of oil and gas production due to fracking.Plastic manufacture is energy-intensive and contributes significantly to climate change. At present, plastic production is responsible for an estimated 3.7% of global greenhouse gas emissions, more than the contribution of Brazil. This fraction is projected to increase to 4.5% by 2060 if current trends continue unchecked. Plastic Life Cycle The plastic life cycle has three phases: production, use, and disposal. In production, carbon feedstocks-coal, gas, and oil-are transformed through energy-intensive, catalytic processes into a vast array of products. Plastic use occurs in every aspect of modern life and results in widespread human exposure to the chemicals contained in plastic. Single-use plastics constitute the largest portion of current use, followed by synthetic fibers and construction.Plastic disposal is highly inefficient, with recovery and recycling rates below 10% globally. The result is that an estimated 22 Mt of plastic waste enters the environment each year, much of it single-use plastic and are added to the more than 6 gigatons of plastic waste that have accumulated since 1950. Strategies for disposal of plastic waste include controlled and uncontrolled landfilling, open burning, thermal conversion, and export. Vast quantities of plastic waste are exported each year from high-income to low-income countries, where it accumulates in landfills, pollutes air and water, degrades vital ecosystems, befouls beaches and estuaries, and harms human health-environmental injustice on a global scale. Plastic-laden e-waste is particularly problematic. Environmental Findings Plastics and plastic-associated chemicals are responsible for widespread pollution. They contaminate aquatic (marine and freshwater), terrestrial, and atmospheric environments globally. The ocean is the ultimate destination for much plastic, and plastics are found throughout the ocean, including coastal regions, the sea surface, the deep sea, and polar sea ice. Many plastics appear to resist breakdown in the ocean and could persist in the global environment for decades. Macro- and micro-plastic particles have been identified in hundreds of marine species in all major taxa, including species consumed by humans. Trophic transfer of microplastic particles and the chemicals within them has been demonstrated. Although microplastic particles themselves (>10 µm) appear not to undergo biomagnification, hydrophobic plastic-associated chemicals bioaccumulate in marine animals and biomagnify in marine food webs. The amounts and fates of smaller microplastic and nanoplastic particles (MNPs <10 µm) in aquatic environments are poorly understood, but the potential for harm is worrying given their mobility in biological systems. Adverse environmental impacts of plastic pollution occur at multiple levels from molecular and biochemical to population and ecosystem. MNP contamination of seafood results in direct, though not well quantified, human exposure to plastics and plastic-associated chemicals. Marine plastic pollution endangers the ocean ecosystems upon which all humanity depends for food, oxygen, livelihood, and well-being. Human Health Findings Coal miners, oil workers and gas field workers who extract fossil carbon feedstocks for plastic production suffer increased mortality from traumatic injury, coal workers' pneumoconiosis, silicosis, cardiovascular disease, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, and lung cancer. Plastic production workers are at increased risk of leukemia, lymphoma, hepatic angiosarcoma, brain cancer, breast cancer, mesothelioma, neurotoxic injury, and decreased fertility. Workers producing plastic textiles die of bladder cancer, lung cancer, mesothelioma, and interstitial lung disease at increased rates. Plastic recycling workers have increased rates of cardiovascular disease, toxic metal poisoning, neuropathy, and lung cancer. Residents of "fenceline" communities adjacent to plastic production and waste disposal sites experience increased risks of premature birth, low birth weight, asthma, childhood leukemia, cardiovascular disease, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, and lung cancer.During use and also in disposal, plastics release toxic chemicals including additives and residual monomers into the environment and into people. National biomonitoring surveys in the USA document population-wide exposures to these chemicals. Plastic additives disrupt endocrine function and increase risk for premature births, neurodevelopmental disorders, male reproductive birth defects, infertility, obesity, cardiovascular disease, renal disease, and cancers. Chemical-laden MNPs formed through the environmental degradation of plastic waste can enter living organisms, including humans. Emerging, albeit still incomplete evidence indicates that MNPs may cause toxicity due to their physical and toxicological effects as well as by acting as vectors that transport toxic chemicals and bacterial pathogens into tissues and cells.Infants in the womb and young children are two populations at particularly high risk of plastic-related health effects. Because of the exquisite sensitivity of early development to hazardous chemicals and children's unique patterns of exposure, plastic-associated exposures are linked to increased risks of prematurity, stillbirth, low birth weight, birth defects of the reproductive organs, neurodevelopmental impairment, impaired lung growth, and childhood cancer. Early-life exposures to plastic-associated chemicals also increase the risk of multiple non-communicable diseases later in life. Economic Findings Plastic's harms to human health result in significant economic costs. We estimate that in 2015 the health-related costs of plastic production exceeded $250 billion (2015 Int$) globally, and that in the USA alone the health costs of disease and disability caused by the plastic-associated chemicals PBDE, BPA and DEHP exceeded $920 billion (2015 Int$). Plastic production results in greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions equivalent to 1.96 gigatons of carbon dioxide (CO2e) annually. Using the US Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) social cost of carbon metric, we estimate the annual costs of these GHG emissions to be $341 billion (2015 Int$).These costs, large as they are, almost certainly underestimate the full economic losses resulting from plastics' negative impacts on human health and the global environment. All of plastics' economic costs-and also its social costs-are externalized by the petrochemical and plastic manufacturing industry and are borne by citizens, taxpayers, and governments in countries around the world without compensation. Social Justice Findings The adverse effects of plastics and plastic pollution on human health, the economy and the environment are not evenly distributed. They disproportionately affect poor, disempowered, and marginalized populations such as workers, racial and ethnic minorities, "fenceline" communities, Indigenous groups, women, and children, all of whom had little to do with creating the current plastics crisis and lack the political influence or the resources to address it. Plastics' harmful impacts across its life cycle are most keenly felt in the Global South, in small island states, and in disenfranchised areas in the Global North. Social and environmental justice (SEJ) principles require reversal of these inequitable burdens to ensure that no group bears a disproportionate share of plastics' negative impacts and that those who benefit economically from plastic bear their fair share of its currently externalized costs. Conclusions It is now clear that current patterns of plastic production, use, and disposal are not sustainable and are responsible for significant harms to human health, the environment, and the economy as well as for deep societal injustices.The main driver of these worsening harms is an almost exponential and still accelerating increase in global plastic production. Plastics' harms are further magnified by low rates of recovery and recycling and by the long persistence of plastic waste in the environment.The thousands of chemicals in plastics-monomers, additives, processing agents, and non-intentionally added substances-include amongst their number known human carcinogens, endocrine disruptors, neurotoxicants, and persistent organic pollutants. These chemicals are responsible for many of plastics' known harms to human and planetary health. The chemicals leach out of plastics, enter the environment, cause pollution, and result in human exposure and disease. All efforts to reduce plastics' hazards must address the hazards of plastic-associated chemicals. Recommendations To protect human and planetary health, especially the health of vulnerable and at-risk populations, and put the world on track to end plastic pollution by 2040, this Commission supports urgent adoption by the world's nations of a strong and comprehensive Global Plastics Treaty in accord with the mandate set forth in the March 2022 resolution of the United Nations Environment Assembly (UNEA).International measures such as a Global Plastics Treaty are needed to curb plastic production and pollution, because the harms to human health and the environment caused by plastics, plastic-associated chemicals and plastic waste transcend national boundaries, are planetary in their scale, and have disproportionate impacts on the health and well-being of people in the world's poorest nations. Effective implementation of the Global Plastics Treaty will require that international action be coordinated and complemented by interventions at the national, regional, and local levels.This Commission urges that a cap on global plastic production with targets, timetables, and national contributions be a central provision of the Global Plastics Treaty. We recommend inclusion of the following additional provisions:The Treaty needs to extend beyond microplastics and marine litter to include all of the many thousands of chemicals incorporated into plastics.The Treaty needs to include a provision banning or severely restricting manufacture and use of unnecessary, avoidable, and problematic plastic items, especially single-use items such as manufactured plastic microbeads.The Treaty needs to include requirements on extended producer responsibility (EPR) that make fossil carbon producers, plastic producers, and the manufacturers of plastic products legally and financially responsible for the safety and end-of-life management of all the materials they produce and sell.The Treaty needs to mandate reductions in the chemical complexity of plastic products; health-protective standards for plastics and plastic additives; a requirement for use of sustainable non-toxic materials; full disclosure of all components; and traceability of components. International cooperation will be essential to implementing and enforcing these standards.The Treaty needs to include SEJ remedies at each stage of the plastic life cycle designed to fill gaps in community knowledge and advance both distributional and procedural equity.This Commission encourages inclusion in the Global Plastic Treaty of a provision calling for exploration of listing at least some plastic polymers as persistent organic pollutants (POPs) under the Stockholm Convention.This Commission encourages a strong interface between the Global Plastics Treaty and the Basel and London Conventions to enhance management of hazardous plastic waste and slow current massive exports of plastic waste into the world's least-developed countries.This Commission recommends the creation of a Permanent Science Policy Advisory Body to guide the Treaty's implementation. The main priorities of this Body would be to guide Member States and other stakeholders in evaluating which solutions are most effective in reducing plastic consumption, enhancing plastic waste recovery and recycling, and curbing the generation of plastic waste. This Body could also assess trade-offs among these solutions and evaluate safer alternatives to current plastics. It could monitor the transnational export of plastic waste. It could coordinate robust oceanic-, land-, and air-based MNP monitoring programs.This Commission recommends urgent investment by national governments in research into solutions to the global plastic crisis. This research will need to determine which solutions are most effective and cost-effective in the context of particular countries and assess the risks and benefits of proposed solutions. Oceanographic and environmental research is needed to better measure concentrations and impacts of plastics <10 µm and understand their distribution and fate in the global environment. Biomedical research is needed to elucidate the human health impacts of plastics, especially MNPs. Summary This Commission finds that plastics are both a boon to humanity and a stealth threat to human and planetary health. Plastics convey enormous benefits, but current linear patterns of plastic production, use, and disposal that pay little attention to sustainable design or safe materials and a near absence of recovery, reuse, and recycling are responsible for grave harms to health, widespread environmental damage, great economic costs, and deep societal injustices. These harms are rapidly worsening.While there remain gaps in knowledge about plastics' harms and uncertainties about their full magnitude, the evidence available today demonstrates unequivocally that these impacts are great and that they will increase in severity in the absence of urgent and effective intervention at global scale. Manufacture and use of essential plastics may continue. However, reckless increases in plastic production, and especially increases in the manufacture of an ever-increasing array of unnecessary single-use plastic products, need to be curbed.Global intervention against the plastic crisis is needed now because the costs of failure to act will be immense.
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Affiliation(s)
- Philip J. Landrigan
- Global Observatory on Planetary Health, Boston College, Chestnut Hill, MA, US
- Centre Scientifique de Monaco, Medical Biology Department, MC
| | - Hervé Raps
- Centre Scientifique de Monaco, Medical Biology Department, MC
| | - Maureen Cropper
- Economics Department, University of Maryland, College Park, US
| | - Caroline Bald
- Global Observatory on Planetary Health, Boston College, Chestnut Hill, MA, US
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | - Patrick Fenichel
- Université Côte d’Azur
- Centre Hospitalier, Universitaire de Nice, FR
| | - Lora E. Fleming
- European Centre for Environment and Human Health, University of Exeter Medical School, UK
| | | | | | | | - Carly Griffin
- Global Observatory on Planetary Health, Boston College, Chestnut Hill, MA, US
| | - Mark E. Hahn
- Biology Department, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, US
- Woods Hole Center for Oceans and Human Health, US
| | - Budi Haryanto
- Department of Environmental Health, Universitas Indonesia, ID
- Research Center for Climate Change, Universitas Indonesia, ID
| | - Richard Hixson
- College of Medicine and Health, University of Exeter, UK
| | - Hannah Ianelli
- Global Observatory on Planetary Health, Boston College, Chestnut Hill, MA, US
| | - Bryan D. James
- Department of Marine Chemistry and Geochemistry, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution
- Department of Biology, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, US
| | | | - Amalia Laborde
- Department of Toxicology, School of Medicine, University of the Republic, UY
| | | | - Keith Martin
- Consortium of Universities for Global Health, US
| | - Jenna Mu
- Global Observatory on Planetary Health, Boston College, Chestnut Hill, MA, US
| | | | - Adetoun Mustapha
- Nigerian Institute of Medical Research, Lagos, Nigeria
- Lead City University, NG
| | - Jia Niu
- Department of Chemistry, Boston College, US
| | - Sabine Pahl
- University of Vienna, Austria
- University of Plymouth, UK
| | | | - Maria-Luiza Pedrotti
- Laboratoire d’Océanographie de Villefranche sur mer (LOV), Sorbonne Université, FR
| | | | | | - Bhedita Jaya Seewoo
- Minderoo Foundation, AU
- School of Biological Sciences, The University of Western Australia, AU
| | | | - John J. Stegeman
- Biology Department and Woods Hole Center for Oceans and Human Health, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, US
| | - William Suk
- Superfund Research Program, National Institutes of Health, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, US
| | | | - Hideshige Takada
- Laboratory of Organic Geochemistry (LOG), Tokyo University of Agriculture and Technology, JP
| | | | | | - Zhanyun Wang
- Technology and Society Laboratory, WEmpa-Swiss Federal Laboratories for Materials and Technology, CH
| | - Ella Whitman
- Global Observatory on Planetary Health, Boston College, Chestnut Hill, MA, US
| | | | | | - Aroub K. Yousuf
- Global Observatory on Planetary Health, Boston College, Chestnut Hill, MA, US
| | - Sarah Dunlop
- Minderoo Foundation, AU
- School of Biological Sciences, The University of Western Australia, AU
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Kim C, Song J, Jung J. Maternal Effect of Polyethylene Microplastic Fragments Containing Benzophenone-3 in Different Ages and Broods of Daphnia Magna. BULLETIN OF ENVIRONMENTAL CONTAMINATION AND TOXICOLOGY 2023; 110:66. [PMID: 36929426 DOI: 10.1007/s00128-023-03705-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/15/2022] [Accepted: 02/22/2023] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
The maternal effect of microplastics (MPs) toxicity is likely influenced by age and brood of test species. This study investigated the maternal effect of polyethylene MP fragments (18.23 ± 8.02 μm) with benzophenone-3 (BP-3; 2.89 ± 0.20% w/w) on chronic toxicity to Daphnia magna over two generations. Neonate (< 24 h old) and adult (5 d old) daphnids in the F0 generation were exposed until 21 d old, then first and third brood neonates in the F1 generation were recovered in clean M4 medium for 21 d. Higher chronic toxicity and maternal effect of MP/BP-3 fragments were observed in the adult group compared with the neonate group, reducing growth and reproduction in both F0 and F1 generations. First brood neonates in the F1 generation showed a higher maternal effect of MP/BP-3 fragments than third brood ones, resulting in enhanced growth and reproduction relative to the control. This study provided insights into the ecological risk of MPs containing plastic additives in the natural environment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Changhae Kim
- Division of Environmental Science and Ecological Engineering, Korea University, Seoul, 02841, Republic of Korea
| | - Jinyoung Song
- Division of Environmental Science and Ecological Engineering, Korea University, Seoul, 02841, Republic of Korea
| | - Jinho Jung
- Division of Environmental Science and Ecological Engineering, Korea University, Seoul, 02841, Republic of Korea.
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Zhang S, Wu H, Hou J. Progress on the Effects of Microplastics on Aquatic Crustaceans: A Review. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:ijms24065523. [PMID: 36982596 PMCID: PMC10052122 DOI: 10.3390/ijms24065523] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/09/2023] [Revised: 03/05/2023] [Accepted: 03/11/2023] [Indexed: 03/16/2023] Open
Abstract
It is impossible to overlook the effects of microplastics on aquatic life as they continuously accumulate in aquatic environments. Aquatic crustaceans, as both predator and prey, play an important role in the food web and energy transmission. It is of great practical significance to pay attention to the toxic effects of microplastics on aquatic crustaceans. This review finds that most studies have shown that microplastics negatively affect the life history, behaviors and physiological functions of aquatic crustaceans under experimental conditions. The effects of microplastics of different sizes, shapes or types on aquatic crustaceans are different. Generally, smaller microplastics have more negative effects on aquatic crustaceans. Irregular microplastics have more negative effects on aquatic crustaceans than regular microplastics. When microplastics co-exist with other contaminants, they have a greater negative impact on aquatic crustaceans than single contaminants. This review contributes to rapidly understanding the effects of microplastics on aquatic crustaceans, providing a basic framework for the ecological threat of microplastics to aquatic crustaceans.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Jing Hou
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +86-10-6177-2864
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Vercauteren M, Semmouri I, Van Acker E, Pequeur E, Janssen CR, Asselman J. Toward a Better Understanding of the Contribution of Wastewater Treatment Plants to Microplastic Pollution in Receiving Waterways. ENVIRONMENTAL TOXICOLOGY AND CHEMISTRY 2023; 42:642-654. [PMID: 36524859 DOI: 10.1002/etc.5540] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/12/2022] [Revised: 08/17/2022] [Accepted: 12/10/2022] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
Microplastics (1 µm-5 mm), are ubiquitous in daily-use products and regularly end up in the wastewater. The main part of the wastewater is treated in wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs), which allow for at least partial removal of microplastics. The present study aimed to understand the contribution of domestic wastewater to microplastic pollution in Flanders (Belgium) via two main discharge routes of microplastics: (1) the effluent, and (2) removed fractions. Furthermore the effect of effluent discharge on the microplastic contamination in the waterway was studied in both surface water and sediment samples of upstream and downstream locations of the discharge from three WWTPs. On average, 12.64 ± 20.20 microplastic/L entered a WWTP (10 µm-5 mm). The effluent contained on average 0.41 ± 0.91 microplastic/L, resulting in an average removal efficiency of 97.46% ± 2.33%, which is comparable with various (non-)European countries. Removal efficiencies are both polymer- and size-specific, and data suggest that smaller particles are less efficiently removed from the wastewater, which also causes an increased input of smaller particles to the environment. The sludge is the most efficient treatment process to remove microplastics. Despite the high removal efficiencies, still 1.11 × 107 ± 3.07 × 107 microplastics end up in the nearby waterway daily. Nonetheless, based on the results gathered in the present study, this does not seem to impact the microplastic concentration in the waterway significantly. In summary, the present study offers a holistic approach in the research on the impact of wastewater on microplastic pollution in the ecosystem, integrating different discharge routes and measuring the impact on environmental microplastic pollution. Environ Toxicol Chem 2023;42:642-654. © 2022 SETAC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maaike Vercauteren
- Laboratory of Environmental Toxicology and Aquatic Ecology, Faculty of Bioscience Engineering, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
| | - Ilias Semmouri
- Laboratory of Environmental Toxicology and Aquatic Ecology, Faculty of Bioscience Engineering, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
- Blue Growth Research Lab, Ghent University, Ostend, Belgium
| | - Emmanuel Van Acker
- Laboratory of Environmental Toxicology and Aquatic Ecology, Faculty of Bioscience Engineering, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
| | - Emmy Pequeur
- Laboratory of Environmental Toxicology and Aquatic Ecology, Faculty of Bioscience Engineering, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
| | - Colin R Janssen
- Laboratory of Environmental Toxicology and Aquatic Ecology, Faculty of Bioscience Engineering, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
- Blue Growth Research Lab, Ghent University, Ostend, Belgium
| | - Jana Asselman
- Blue Growth Research Lab, Ghent University, Ostend, Belgium
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Parolini M, De Felice B, Gois A, Faria M, Cordeiro N, Nogueira N. Polystyrene microplastics exposure modulated the content and the profile of fatty acids in the Cladoceran Daphnia magna. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2023; 860:160497. [PMID: 36436639 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2022.160497] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/01/2022] [Revised: 11/12/2022] [Accepted: 11/21/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
A growing number of studies has shown that the exposure to microplastics (MPs) of different polymeric compositions can induce diverse adverse effects towards several aquatic species. The vast majority of such studies has been focused on the effects induced by the administration of MPs made by polystyrene (PS; hereafter PS-MPs). However, despite the increase in the knowledge on the potential toxicity of PS-MPs, there is a dearth of information concerning their role in affecting energy resources and/or their allocation. The present study aimed at exploring the impact of 21-days exposure to three concentrations (0.125, 1.25 and 12.5 μg mL-1) of PS-MPs of different sizes (1 and 10 μm) on fatty acids (FAs) profile of the freshwater Cladoceran Daphnia magna. The exposure to the highest tested concentration of PS-MPs induced an overall decrease in D. magna total FAs content, independently of the particle size. Moreover, a change in the accumulation of essential FAs by the diet was noted, with an enhanced synthesis of monounsaturated FAs-rich storage lipids. However, a sort of adaptation to counteract the adverse effects and to re-establish the FAs homeostasis was observed in individuals treated with high PS-MPs concentration, independently of their size. These results indicate that the exposure to PS-MPs could alter the allocation or induce changes in FAs composition in D. magna, with potential long-term consequences on life-history traits of this zooplanktonic species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marco Parolini
- Department of Environmental Science and Policy, University of Milan, via Celoria 26, I-20133 Milan, Italy.
| | - Beatrice De Felice
- Department of Environmental Science and Policy, University of Milan, via Celoria 26, I-20133 Milan, Italy
| | - André Gois
- LB3, Faculty of Exact Science and Engineering, University of Madeira, 9020-105 Funchal, Portugal
| | - Marisa Faria
- LB3, Faculty of Exact Science and Engineering, University of Madeira, 9020-105 Funchal, Portugal; CIIMAR - Interdisciplinary Centre of Marine and Environmental Research, University of Porto, 4450-208 Porto, Portugal
| | - Nereida Cordeiro
- LB3, Faculty of Exact Science and Engineering, University of Madeira, 9020-105 Funchal, Portugal; CIIMAR - Interdisciplinary Centre of Marine and Environmental Research, University of Porto, 4450-208 Porto, Portugal
| | - Natacha Nogueira
- CIIMAR - Interdisciplinary Centre of Marine and Environmental Research, University of Porto, 4450-208 Porto, Portugal; Mariculture Center of Calheta (CMC), Regional Directorate for the Sea, Av. D. Manuel I 7, 9370-135 Calheta, Madeira, Portugal
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Verdú I, Amariei G, Rueda-Varela C, González-Pleiter M, Leganés F, Rosal R, Fernández-Piñas F. Biofilm formation strongly influences the vector transport of triclosan-loaded polyethylene microplastics. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2023; 859:160231. [PMID: 36402321 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2022.160231] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/17/2022] [Revised: 11/11/2022] [Accepted: 11/13/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
This study aimed at evaluating the influence of biofilm in the role of microplastics (MPs) as vectors of pollutants and their impact on Daphnia magna. To do this, virgin polyethylene MPs, (PE-MPs, 40-48 μm) were exposed for four weeks to wastewater (WW) from influent and effluent to promote biofouling. Then, the exposed PE-MPs were put in contact with triclosan. Finally, the toxicity of TCS-loaded and non-TCS loaded PE-MPs were tested on the survival of D. magna adults for 21 days. Results from metabarcoding analyses indicated that exposure to TCS induced shifts in the bacterial community, selecting potential TCS-degrading bacteria. Results also showed that PE-MPs were ingested by daphnids. The most toxic virgin PE-MPs were those biofouled in the WW effluent. The toxicity of TCS-loaded PE-MPs biofouled in the WW effluent was even higher, reporting mortality in all tested concentrations. These results indicate that biofouling of MPs may modulate the adsorption and subsequent desorption of co-occurring pollutants, hence affecting their potential toxicity towards aquatic organisms. Future studies on realistic environmental plastic impact should include the characterization of biofilms growing on plastic. Since inevitably plastic biofouling occurs over time in nature, it should be taken into account as it may modulate the sorption of co-occurring pollutants.
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Affiliation(s)
- Irene Verdú
- Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, E-28049 Madrid, Spain
| | - Georgiana Amariei
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Universidad de Alcalá, E-28871, Alcalá de Henares, Madrid, Spain
| | - Cristina Rueda-Varela
- Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, E-28049 Madrid, Spain
| | - Miguel González-Pleiter
- Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, E-28049 Madrid, Spain
| | - Francisco Leganés
- Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, E-28049 Madrid, Spain; Centro de Investigación en Biodiversidad y Cambio Global (CIBC-UAM), Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, C Darwin 2, 28049 Madrid, Spain
| | - Roberto Rosal
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Universidad de Alcalá, E-28871, Alcalá de Henares, Madrid, Spain
| | - Francisca Fernández-Piñas
- Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, E-28049 Madrid, Spain; Centro de Investigación en Biodiversidad y Cambio Global (CIBC-UAM), Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, C Darwin 2, 28049 Madrid, Spain.
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