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Rondon R, Cárdenas CA, Cosseau C, Bergami E, Balbi T, Corsi I, González-Aravena M. Physiological and molecular effects of contaminants of emerging concerns of micro and nano-size in aquatic metazoans: overview and current gaps in Antarctic species. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE AND POLLUTION RESEARCH INTERNATIONAL 2024:10.1007/s11356-024-34457-6. [PMID: 39066941 DOI: 10.1007/s11356-024-34457-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/05/2023] [Accepted: 07/19/2024] [Indexed: 07/30/2024]
Abstract
Although Antarctica is the most isolated continent on Earth, its remote location does not protect it from the impacts of human activities. Antarctic metazoans such as filter-feeding invertebrates are a crucial component of the Antarctic benthos. They play a key role in the benthic-pelagic carbon flux in coastal areas by filtering particles and planktonic organisms from the sediment-water interface. Due to their peculiar ecological niche, these organisms can be considered a wasp-waist in the ecosystem, making them highly sensitive to marine pollution. Recently, anthropogenic particles such as micro-nanoplastics and manufactured nanoparticles (MNP) have been classified as contaminants of emerging concern (CEC) due to their small size range, which also overlaps with the preferred particle size ingested by aquatic metazoans. Indeed, it has been demonstrated that some species such as Antarctic krill can ingest, transform, and release MNPs, making them newly bioavailable for other Antarctic filter-feeding organisms. Similarly, the production and use of anthropogenic MNP are rapidly increasing, leading to a growing presence of materials, such as nano-sized metal-oxides, in the environment. For these reasons, it is important to provide evidence of the adverse effects of such emerging contaminants at sub-lethal concentrations in environmental risk assessments. These contaminants may cause cascade effects with consequences not only on individuals but also at the community and ecosystem levels. In this review, we discuss the state-of-the-art knowledge on the physiological and molecular effects of anthropogenic MNP in Antarctic aquatic metazoans. We further highlight the importance of identifying early biomarkers using sessile metazoans as sentinels of environmental health.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rodolfo Rondon
- Departamento Científico, Instituto Antártico Chileno, Punta Arenas, Chile.
| | - César A Cárdenas
- Departamento Científico, Instituto Antártico Chileno, Punta Arenas, Chile
- Millenium Institute Biodiversity of Antarctic and Subantarctic Ecosystems (BASE), Santiago, Chile
| | - Céline Cosseau
- IHPE, Université de Montpellier, CNRS, Ifremer, Université de Perpignan "Via Domitia", Perpignan, France
| | - Elisa Bergami
- Department of Life Sciences, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, Via Giuseppe Campi 213/D, Modena, Italy
| | - Teresa Balbi
- Department of Earth Environment & Life Sciences, University of Genoa, Genoa, Italy
| | - Ilaria Corsi
- Department of Physical, Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of Siena, Siena, Italy
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Rowlands E, Galloway T, Cole M, Lewis C, Hacker C, Peck VL, Thorpe S, Blackbird S, Wolff GA, Manno C. Scoping intergenerational effects of nanoplastic on the lipid reserves of Antarctic krill embryos. AQUATIC TOXICOLOGY (AMSTERDAM, NETHERLANDS) 2023; 261:106591. [PMID: 37329636 DOI: 10.1016/j.aquatox.2023.106591] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/17/2023] [Revised: 05/05/2023] [Accepted: 05/24/2023] [Indexed: 06/19/2023]
Abstract
Antarctic krill (Euphausia superba) plays a central role in the Antarctic marine food web and biogeochemical cycles and has been identified as a species that is potentially vulnerable to plastic pollution. While plastic pollution has been acknowledged as a potential threat to Southern Ocean marine ecosystems, the effect of nanoplastics (<1000 nm) is poorly understood. Deleterious impacts of nanoplastic are predicted to be higher than that of larger plastics, due to their small size which enables their permeation of cell membranes and potentially provokes toxicity. Here, we investigated the intergenerational impact of exposing Antarctic krill to nanoplastics. We focused on whether embryonic energy resources were affected when gravid female krill were exposed to nanoplastic by determining lipid and fatty acid compositions of embryos produced in incubation. Embryos were collected from females who had spawned under three different exposure treatments (control, nanoplastic, nanoplastic + algae). Embryos collected from each maternal treatment were incubated for a further 6 days under three nanoplastic exposure treatments (control, low concentration nanoplastic, and high concentration nanoplastic). Nanoplastic additions to seawater did not impact lipid metabolism (total lipid or fatty acid composition) across the maternal or direct embryo treatments, and no interactive effects were observed. The provision of a food source during maternal exposure to nanoplastic had a positive effect on key fatty acids identified as important during embryogenesis, including higher total polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA), eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) when compared to the control and nanoplastic treatments. Whilst the short exposure time was ample for lipids from maternally digested algae to be incorporated into embryos, we discuss why the nanoplastic-fatty acid relationship may be more complex. Our study is the first to scope intergeneration effects of nanoplastic on Antarctic krill lipid and fatty acid reserves. From this, we suggest directions for future research including long term exposures, multi-stressor scenarios and exploring other critical energy reserves such as proteins.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emily Rowlands
- British Antarctic Survey, High Cross, Madingley Road, Cambridge CB3 0ET, United Kingdom.
| | - Tamara Galloway
- Biosciences, Faculty of Health and Life Sciences, Geoffrey Pope, University of Exeter, Stocker Road, Exeter EX4 4QD, United Kingdom
| | - Matthew Cole
- Plymouth Marine Laboratory, Prospect Place, Plymouth PL1 3DH, United Kingdom
| | - Ceri Lewis
- Biosciences, Faculty of Health and Life Sciences, Geoffrey Pope, University of Exeter, Stocker Road, Exeter EX4 4QD, United Kingdom
| | - Christian Hacker
- Biosciences, Faculty of Health and Life Sciences, Geoffrey Pope, University of Exeter, Stocker Road, Exeter EX4 4QD, United Kingdom
| | - Victoria L Peck
- British Antarctic Survey, High Cross, Madingley Road, Cambridge CB3 0ET, United Kingdom
| | - Sally Thorpe
- British Antarctic Survey, High Cross, Madingley Road, Cambridge CB3 0ET, United Kingdom
| | - Sabena Blackbird
- Department of Earth, Ocean and Ecological Sciences, University of Liverpool, Jane Herdman Building, 4 Brownlow Street, Liverpool L69 3GP, United Kingdom
| | - George A Wolff
- Department of Earth, Ocean and Ecological Sciences, University of Liverpool, Jane Herdman Building, 4 Brownlow Street, Liverpool L69 3GP, United Kingdom
| | - Clara Manno
- British Antarctic Survey, High Cross, Madingley Road, Cambridge CB3 0ET, United Kingdom.
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Lee YH, Kim MS, Lee Y, Kim DH, Lee JS. Nanoplastics induce epigenetic signatures of transgenerational impairments associated with reproduction in copepods under ocean acidification. JOURNAL OF HAZARDOUS MATERIALS 2023; 449:131037. [PMID: 36842400 DOI: 10.1016/j.jhazmat.2023.131037] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/18/2022] [Revised: 02/15/2023] [Accepted: 02/17/2023] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
Ocean acidification (OA) is one of many major global climate changes that pose a variety of risks to marine ecosystems in different ways. Meanwhile, there is growing concern about how nanoplastics (NPs) affect marine ecosystems. Combined exposure of marine organisms to OA and NPs is inevitable, but their interactive effects remain poorly understood. In this study, we investigated the multi- and transgenerational toxicity of NPs on copepods under OA conditions for ten generations. The findings revealed that OA and NPs have a synergistic negative effect on copepod reproduction across generations. In particular, the transgenerational groups showed reproductive impairments in the F1 and F2 generations (F1T and F2T), even though they were never exposed to NPs. Moreover, our epigenetic examinations demonstrated that the observed intergenerational reproductive impairments are associated with differential methylation patterns of specific genes, suggesting that the interaction of OA and NPs can pose a significant threat to the sustainability of copepod populations through epigenetic modifications. Overall, our findings provide valuable insight into the intergenerational toxicity and underlying molecular mechanisms of responses to NPs under OA conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Young Hwan Lee
- Department of Biological Sciences, College of Science, Sungkyunkwan University, Suwon 16419, South Korea
| | - Min-Sub Kim
- Department of Biological Sciences, College of Science, Sungkyunkwan University, Suwon 16419, South Korea
| | - Yoseop Lee
- Department of Biological Sciences, College of Science, Sungkyunkwan University, Suwon 16419, South Korea
| | - Duck-Hyun Kim
- Department of Biological Sciences, College of Science, Sungkyunkwan University, Suwon 16419, South Korea
| | - Jae-Seong Lee
- Department of Biological Sciences, College of Science, Sungkyunkwan University, Suwon 16419, South Korea.
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Zhu W, Liu W, Chen Y, Liao K, Yu W, Jin H. Microplastics in Antarctic krill (Euphausia superba) from Antarctic region. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2023; 870:161880. [PMID: 36731553 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.161880] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/03/2022] [Revised: 01/24/2023] [Accepted: 01/24/2023] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
Pollution of microplastics (MPs) has become a potential threat to Antarctic marine ecosystems. However, the occurrence of MPs in Antarctic krill (Euphausia superba), a keystone species in Antarctic ecosystems, remains unclear. In this study, the abundance and characteristics of MPs were examined in Antarctic krill samples (n = 437) collected from two Antarctic regions. MPs were extracted using an alkali digestion method and analyzed using Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy. The mean abundance of MPs in Antarctic krill samples from the South Shetland Islands (n = 355) and the South Orkney Islands (n = 82) were 0.29 ± 0.14 and 0.20 ± 0.083 items/individual, respectively. >90 % of MPs found in Antarctic krill were < 150 μm in size. Fibers represented 77 % and 87 % of the MPs in Antarctic krill samples from the South Shetland Islands and the South Orkney Islands, respectively. Black, blue, and red were the predominant colors of MPs in Antarctic krill, accounting for 32 %, 22 %, and 21 % of the total MPs, respectively. Seven polymer compositions were identified for the MPs in Antarctic krill, with the predominance of polyethylene (37 % of total MPs), followed by polypropylene (22 %) and polyester (21 %). To our knowledge, this is the first study to investigate the occurrence of MPs in Antarctic krill samples. The results of this study are important for evaluating the risks of MP exposure in Antarctic krill.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wenbin Zhu
- Zhejiang Marine Fisheries Research Institute, Scientific Observing and Experimental Station of Fishery Resources for Key Fishing Grounds, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs of the People's Republic of China, Key Laboratory of Sustainable Utilization of Technology Research for Fishery Resources of Zhejiang Province, Zhoushan, Zhejiang 316021, PR China
| | - Wenbo Liu
- Zhejiang Marine Fisheries Research Institute, Scientific Observing and Experimental Station of Fishery Resources for Key Fishing Grounds, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs of the People's Republic of China, Key Laboratory of Sustainable Utilization of Technology Research for Fishery Resources of Zhejiang Province, Zhoushan, Zhejiang 316021, PR China
| | - Yuanchen Chen
- Key Laboratory of Microbial Technology for Industrial Pollution Control of Zhejiang Province, College of Environment, Zhejiang University of Technology, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310032, PR China
| | - Kaizhen Liao
- Key Laboratory of Microbial Technology for Industrial Pollution Control of Zhejiang Province, College of Environment, Zhejiang University of Technology, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310032, PR China
| | - Wenfei Yu
- Key Laboratory of Microbial Technology for Industrial Pollution Control of Zhejiang Province, College of Environment, Zhejiang University of Technology, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310032, PR China
| | - Hangbiao Jin
- Key Laboratory of Microbial Technology for Industrial Pollution Control of Zhejiang Province, College of Environment, Zhejiang University of Technology, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310032, PR China.
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da Silva JRMC, Bergami E, Gomes V, Corsi I. Occurrence and distribution of legacy and emerging pollutants including plastic debris in Antarctica: Sources, distribution and impact on marine biodiversity. MARINE POLLUTION BULLETIN 2023; 186:114353. [PMID: 36436273 DOI: 10.1016/j.marpolbul.2022.114353] [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: 01/31/2022] [Revised: 10/30/2022] [Accepted: 11/07/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
Since the first explorers reached Antarctica, their activities have quickly impacted both land and sea and thus, together with the long-range transport, hazardous chemicals began to accumulate. It is commonly recognized that anthropogenic pollution in Antarctica can originate from either global or local sources. Heavy metals, organohalogenated compounds, hydrocarbons, and (more recently) plastic, have been found in Antarctic biota, soil sediments, seawater, air, snow and sea-ice. Studies in such remote areas are challenging and expensive, and the complexity of potential interactions occurring in such extreme climate conditions (i.e., low temperature) makes any accurate prediction on potential impacts difficult. The present review aims to summarize the current state of knowledge on occurrence and distribution of legacy and emerging pollutants in Antarctica, such as plastic, from either global or local sources. Future actions to monitor and mitigate any potential impact on Antarctic biodiversity are discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- José Roberto Machado Cunha da Silva
- Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, Institute of Biomedical Science / CEBIMar (Centro de Biologia Marinha), University of São Paulo, Av. Prof. Lineu Prestes, 1524, São Paulo, SP, CEP: 05509900, Brazil.
| | - Elisa Bergami
- Department of Life Sciences, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, Via Campi 213/D, 41125 Modena, Italy
| | - Vicente Gomes
- Department of Biological Oceanography, Oceanographic Institute, University of São Paulo, Praça do Oceanográfico, 191, São Paulo, SP 05508-120, Brazil
| | - Ilaria Corsi
- Department of Physical, Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of Siena, Via Mattioli 4, 53100 Siena, Italy
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Microplastic Interactions and Possible Combined Biological Effects in Antarctic Marine Ecosystems. Animals (Basel) 2022; 13:ani13010162. [PMID: 36611770 PMCID: PMC9817852 DOI: 10.3390/ani13010162] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/29/2022] [Revised: 12/21/2022] [Accepted: 12/27/2022] [Indexed: 01/03/2023] Open
Abstract
Antarctica and the Southern Ocean are the most remote regions on Earth, and their quite pristine environmental conditions are increasingly threatened by local scientific, tourism and fishing activities and long-range transport of persistent anthropogenic contaminants from lower latitudes. Plastic debris has become one of the most pervasive and ubiquitous synthetic wastes in the global environment, and even at some coastal Antarctic sites it is the most common and enduring evidence of past and recent human activities. Despite the growing scientific interest in the occurrence of microplastics (MPs) in the Antarctic environment, the lack of standardized methodologies for the collection, analysis and assessment of sample contamination in the field and in the lab does not allow us to establish their bioavailability and potential impact. Overall, most of the Southern Ocean appears to be little-affected by plastic contamination, with the exception of some coastal marine ecosystems impacted by wastewater from scientific stations and tourist vessels or by local fishing activities. Microplastics have been detected in sediments, benthic organisms, Antarctic krill and fish, but there is no clear evidence of their transfer to seabirds and marine mammals. Therefore, we suggest directing future research towards standardization of methodologies, focusing attention on nanoplastics (which probably represent the greatest biological risks) and considering the interactions of MPs with macro- and microalgae (especially sea-ice algae) and the formation of epiplastic communities. In coastal ecosystems directly impacted by human activities, the combined exposure to paint chips, metals, persistent organic pollutants (POPs), contaminants of emerging interest (CEI) and pathogenic microorganisms represents a potential danger for marine organisms. Moreover, the Southern Ocean is very sensitive to water acidification and has shown a remarkable decrease in sea-ice formation in recent years. These climate-related stresses could reduce the resilience of Antarctic marine organisms, increasing the impact of anthropogenic contaminants and pathogenic microorganisms.
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Bergami E, Krupinski Emerenciano A, Palmeira Pinto L, Reina Joviano W, Font A, Almeida de Godoy T, Silva JRMC, González-Aravena M, Corsi I. Behavioural, physiological and molecular responses of the Antarctic fairy shrimp Branchinecta gaini (Daday, 1910) to polystyrene nanoplastics. NANOIMPACT 2022; 28:100437. [PMID: 36332901 DOI: 10.1016/j.impact.2022.100437] [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: 08/04/2022] [Revised: 10/27/2022] [Accepted: 10/28/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
Plastic pollution represents an emerging environmental issue in terrestrial Antarctica, especially in the Antarctic Peninsula and Maritime Antarctica, which have been recently recognized as hot spots for plastic litter. In these regions, freshwater (FW) environments such as lakes host isolated ecosystems and species that can be severely affected by increasing environmental and anthropogenic stressors, which include plastics that are still overlooked. In this study, we investigated for the first time the impact of nanoplastics on adults of the fairy shrimp Branchinecta gaini (Order Anostraca) populating Antarctic FW ecosystems, using surface charged polystyrene nanoparticles (PS NPs) as a proxy. Short-term acute toxicity (48 h) was investigated by exposing adults to carboxyl (-COOH, 60 nm) and amino-modified (-NH2, 50 nm) PS NPs at 1 and 5 μg mL-1. Biodisposition of PS NPs and lethal and sub-lethal effects (i.e., swimming, moulting, histology, gene expression) were assessed. Behaviour of PS NPs in Antarctic FW media was monitored through 48 h of exposure showing that both PS NPs kept their nanoscale size in the Antarctic FW media. Survival of fairy shrimp adults over short-term exposure was not affected, on the other hand an increase in moulting rate and alterations in the gut epithelium were observed upon exposure to both PS NPs. Significant alterations at the behavioural (ventilation rate) and molecular (up-regulation of Hsp70mit, Hsp83, Sod, P450) levels were related to PS NP surface charge and associated with PS-NH2 exposure only. Nanoplastics could represent a threat for Antarctic FW biodiversity and the Antarctic fairy shrimp could be a valuable model for assessing their impact on such remote and pristine aquatic ecosystems.
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Affiliation(s)
- E Bergami
- Department of Physical, Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of Siena, Via Mattioli 4, 53100 Siena, Italy; Department of Life Sciences, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, Via Campi 213/D, 41125 Modena, Italy.
| | - A Krupinski Emerenciano
- Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, Institute of Biomedical Science, University of São Paulo, Av. Prof. L. Prestes 1524, São Paulo, SP 05508-000, Brazil
| | - L Palmeira Pinto
- Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, Institute of Biomedical Science, University of São Paulo, Av. Prof. L. Prestes 1524, São Paulo, SP 05508-000, Brazil
| | - W Reina Joviano
- Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, Institute of Biomedical Science, University of São Paulo, Av. Prof. L. Prestes 1524, São Paulo, SP 05508-000, Brazil
| | - A Font
- Scientific Department, Chilean Antarctic Institute, Plaza Muñoz Gamero 1055, 6200965 Punta Arenas, Chile
| | - T Almeida de Godoy
- Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, Institute of Biomedical Science, University of São Paulo, Av. Prof. L. Prestes 1524, São Paulo, SP 05508-000, Brazil
| | - J R M C Silva
- Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, Institute of Biomedical Science, University of São Paulo, Av. Prof. L. Prestes 1524, São Paulo, SP 05508-000, Brazil
| | - M González-Aravena
- Scientific Department, Chilean Antarctic Institute, Plaza Muñoz Gamero 1055, 6200965 Punta Arenas, Chile
| | - I Corsi
- Department of Physical, Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of Siena, Via Mattioli 4, 53100 Siena, Italy
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Gao D, Liu X, Junaid M, Liao H, Chen G, Wu Y, Wang J. Toxicological impacts of micro(nano)plastics in the benthic environment. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2022; 836:155620. [PMID: 35508242 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2022.155620] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/28/2022] [Revised: 04/24/2022] [Accepted: 04/27/2022] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Micro(nano)plastics (MNPs) have sparked growing public and scientific concerns as emerging pollutants in recent decades, due to their small size and potential for significant ecological and human health impacts. Understanding the toxicological effects of MNPs on aquatic organisms is of great importance; however, most of the available research on aquatic organisms has focused on the pelagic organisms, and studies on benthic organisms are lacking yet. Being bottom-dwelling creatures, benthos perhaps confronts more extreme pressure from MNPs. Therefore, this review summarizes the current literature on the impacts of MNPs on benthic organisms to reveal their toxicity on the survival, growth, development and reproductive systems. MNPs can accumulate in various tissues of benthos and probably cause tissue-specific damage, resulting in genotoxicity and reproductive toxicity to benthic organisms. And, in severe cases, they may also pass on the adverse effects to the next generations. The complexity of co-exposure to MNPs with other aquatic contaminants is also highlighted. Furthermore, we have comprehensively discussed the internal and external factors affecting the toxicity of MNPs in benthic organisms. Additionally, we also presented the current research gaps and potential future challenges, providing overall background information for a thorough understanding of the toxic effects of MNPs in the benthic aquatic ecosystem.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dandan Gao
- College of Marine Sciences, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou 510642, China
| | - Xinyu Liu
- Guangzhou Dublin International College of Life Sciences and Technology, College of International Education, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou 510642, China
| | - Muhammad Junaid
- College of Marine Sciences, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou 510642, China
| | - Hongping Liao
- College of Marine Sciences, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou 510642, China
| | - Guanglong Chen
- College of Marine Sciences, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou 510642, China
| | - Yan Wu
- Guangzhou Environmental Monitoring Centre, Guangzhou 510006, China
| | - Jun Wang
- College of Marine Sciences, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou 510642, China; Institute of Eco-Environmental Research, Guangxi Academy of Sciences, Nanning 530007, China.; Southern Marine Science and Engineering Guangdong Laboratory, Zhuhai 528478, China.
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9
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Macro- and Microplastics in the Antarctic Environment: Ongoing Assessment and Perspectives. ENVIRONMENTS 2022. [DOI: 10.3390/environments9070093] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/27/2023]
Abstract
The number of scientists and tourists visiting Antarctica is on the rise and, despite the management framework for environmental protection, some coastal areas, particularly in the Antarctic Peninsula region, are affected by plastic contamination. The few data available on the occurrence of microplastics (<5 mm) are difficult to compare, due to the different methodologies used in monitoring studies. However, indications are emerging to guide future research and to implement environmental protocols. In the surface and subsurface waters of the Southern Ocean, plastic debris >300 µm appears to be scarce and far less abundant than paint chips released from research vessels. Yet, near some coastal scientific stations, the fragmentation and degradation of larger plastic items, as well as microbeads and microfibers released into wastewater from personal care products and laundry, could potentially affect marine organisms. Some studies indicate that, through long-range atmospheric transport, plastic fibers produced on other continents can be deposited in Antarctica. Drifting plastic debris can also cross the Polar Front, with the potential to carry alien fouling organisms into the Southern Ocean. Sea ice dynamics appear to favor the uptake of microplastics by ice algae and Antarctic krill, the key species in the Antarctic marine food web. Euphausia superba apparently has the ability to fragment and expel ingested plastic particles at the nanoscale. However, most Antarctic organisms are endemic species, with unique ecophysiological adaptations to extreme environmental conditions and are likely highly sensitive to cumulative stresses caused by climate change, microplastics and other anthropogenic disturbances. Although there is limited evidence to date that micro- and nanoplastics have direct biological effects, our review aims at raising awareness of the problem and, in order to assess the real potential impact of microplastics in Antarctica, underlines the urgency to fill the methodological gaps for their detection in all environmental matrices, and to equip scientific stations and ships with adequate wastewater treatment plants to reduce the release of microfibers.
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