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Vasantha Raman N, Gebreyohanes Belay BM, South J, Botha TL, Pegg J, Khosa D, Mofu L, Walsh G, Jordaan MS, Koelmans AA, Teurlincx S, Helmsing NR, de Jong N, van Donk E, Lürling M, Wepener V, Fernandes TV, de Senerpont Domis LN. Effect of an antidepressant on aquatic ecosystems in the presence of microplastics: A mesocosm study. ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION (BARKING, ESSEX : 1987) 2024; 357:124439. [PMID: 38942279 DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2024.124439] [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: 03/07/2024] [Revised: 05/29/2024] [Accepted: 06/24/2024] [Indexed: 06/30/2024]
Abstract
Emerging pollutants, such as pharmaceuticals and microplastics have become a pressing concern due to their widespread presence and potential impacts on ecological systems. To assess the ecosystem-level effects of these pollutants within a multi-stressor context, we simulated real-world conditions by exposing a near-natural multi-trophic aquatic food web to a gradient of environmentally relevant concentrations of fluoxetine and microplastics in large mesocosms over a period of more than three months. We measured the biomass and abundance of different trophic groups, as well as ecological functions such as nutrient availability and decomposition rate. To explore the mechanisms underlying potential community and ecosystem-level effects, we also performed behavioral assays focusing on locomotion parameters as a response variable in three species: Daphnia magna (zooplankton prey), Chaoborus flavicans larvae (invertebrate pelagic predator of zooplankton) and Asellus aquaticus (benthic macroinvertebrate), using water from the mesocosms. Our mesocosm results demonstrate that presence of microplastics governs the response in phytoplankton biomass, with a weak non-monotonic dose-response relationship due to the interaction between microplastics and fluoxetine. However, exposure to fluoxetine evoked a strong non-monotonic dose-response in zooplankton abundance and microbial decomposition rate of plant material. In the behavioral assays, the locomotion of zooplankton prey D. magna showed a similar non-monotonic response primarily induced by fluoxetine. Its predator C. flavicans, however, showed a significant non-monotonic response governed by both microplastics and fluoxetine. The behavior of the decomposer A. aquaticus significantly decreased at higher fluoxetine concentrations, potentially leading to reduced decomposition rates near the sediment. Our study demonstrates that effects observed upon short-term exposure result in more pronounced ecosystem-level effects following chronic exposure.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nandini Vasantha Raman
- Department of Aquatic Ecology, Netherlands Institute of Ecology (NIOO-KNAW), Droevendaalsesteeg 10, 6708 PB, Wageningen, the Netherlands; Department of Aquatic Ecology and Water Quality Management, Wageningen University & Research, P.O. Box 47, 6708 PB, Wageningen, the Netherlands
| | - Berte M Gebreyohanes Belay
- Department of Aquatic Ecology, Netherlands Institute of Ecology (NIOO-KNAW), Droevendaalsesteeg 10, 6708 PB, Wageningen, the Netherlands; Department of Aquatic Ecology and Water Quality Management, Wageningen University & Research, P.O. Box 47, 6708 PB, Wageningen, the Netherlands.
| | - Josie South
- School of Biology, Faculty of Biological Sciences, University of Leeds, Leeds, UK; South African Institute for Aquatic Biodiversity (SAIAB), Makhanda, 6140, South Africa
| | - Tarryn L Botha
- Department of Zoology, University of Johannesburg, Auckland Park, Johannesburg, 2006, South Africa
| | - Josephine Pegg
- Department of Ichthyology and Fisheries Science, Rhodes University, Makhanda, EC, South Africa; South African Institute for Aquatic Biodiversity (SAIAB), Makhanda, 6140, South Africa
| | - Dumisani Khosa
- South African Institute for Aquatic Biodiversity (SAIAB), Makhanda, 6140, South Africa; Scientific Services, South African National Parks, Private Bag X402, Skukuza, 1350, South Africa
| | - Lubabalo Mofu
- South African Institute for Aquatic Biodiversity (SAIAB), Makhanda, 6140, South Africa
| | - Gina Walsh
- School of Animal, Plant and Environmental Sciences, University of the Witwatersrand, Wits, 2050, South Africa
| | - Martine S Jordaan
- South African Institute for Aquatic Biodiversity (SAIAB), Makhanda, 6140, South Africa; CapeNature Scientific Services, Stellenbosch, South Africa
| | - Albert A Koelmans
- Department of Aquatic Ecology and Water Quality Management, Wageningen University & Research, P.O. Box 47, 6708 PB, Wageningen, the Netherlands
| | - Sven Teurlincx
- Department of Aquatic Ecology, Netherlands Institute of Ecology (NIOO-KNAW), Droevendaalsesteeg 10, 6708 PB, Wageningen, the Netherlands
| | - Nico R Helmsing
- Department of Aquatic Ecology, Netherlands Institute of Ecology (NIOO-KNAW), Droevendaalsesteeg 10, 6708 PB, Wageningen, the Netherlands
| | - Nina de Jong
- Department of Aquatic Ecology, Netherlands Institute of Ecology (NIOO-KNAW), Droevendaalsesteeg 10, 6708 PB, Wageningen, the Netherlands
| | - Ellen van Donk
- Department of Aquatic Ecology, Netherlands Institute of Ecology (NIOO-KNAW), Droevendaalsesteeg 10, 6708 PB, Wageningen, the Netherlands; Ecology and Biodiversity Research Group, University of Utrecht, Utrecht, the Netherlands
| | - Miquel Lürling
- Department of Aquatic Ecology, Netherlands Institute of Ecology (NIOO-KNAW), Droevendaalsesteeg 10, 6708 PB, Wageningen, the Netherlands; Department of Aquatic Ecology and Water Quality Management, Wageningen University & Research, P.O. Box 47, 6708 PB, Wageningen, the Netherlands
| | - Victor Wepener
- Water Research Group, Unit for Environmental Sciences and Management, North-West University, Private Bag X6001, Potchefstroom, 2520, South Africa
| | - Tânia V Fernandes
- Department of Aquatic Ecology, Netherlands Institute of Ecology (NIOO-KNAW), Droevendaalsesteeg 10, 6708 PB, Wageningen, the Netherlands
| | - Lisette N de Senerpont Domis
- Department of Aquatic Ecology, Netherlands Institute of Ecology (NIOO-KNAW), Droevendaalsesteeg 10, 6708 PB, Wageningen, the Netherlands; Department of Aquatic Ecology and Water Quality Management, Wageningen University & Research, P.O. Box 47, 6708 PB, Wageningen, the Netherlands; Department of Pervasive Systems, EEMCS, University of Twente & Department of Water Resources, ITC, University of Twente, the Netherlands
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Li D, Liu C, Leng P, Wang X, Feng J, Liu J, Liu G, Xu C. A study on the effect of fluorescently stained micro(nano)plastics on the full life history of Skeletonema costatum. CHEMOSPHERE 2024; 364:143110. [PMID: 39151587 DOI: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2024.143110] [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: 02/29/2024] [Revised: 07/31/2024] [Accepted: 08/14/2024] [Indexed: 08/19/2024]
Abstract
As a new type of environmental pollutant, micro(nano)plastics have become a research hotspot in recent years, and their effects on the full life history of marine microalgae have not been studied. To investigate the effects of micro(nano)plastics on the growth, photosynthesis, physiological morphology and interaction of microalgae during the full life cycle, we selected fluorescently stained polystyrene (PS) plastic microbeads as the target pollutant. By sampling and testing the growth rate, photosynthesis and physiological morphology parameters of algal species, the influence of different concentrations of PS (10, 50 and 100 mg/L) and different particle sizes (0.1, 0.5 and 1 μm) on the full life history of Skeletonema costatum (S. costatum) was investigated. The results showed that after adding PS (particle sizes of 0.5 and 1 μm), the response of S. costatum showed a dual character, while adding the same kind of microplastics (MPs) with a particle size of 0.1 μm inhibited S. costatum throughout the full life cycle. Compared with previous studies, short-term experimental data may overestimate the true ecological risks of MPs. In addition, 0.1 μm fluorescent-stained MPs obviously accumulated around the microalgae, indicating that MPs mainly adhered to the surface of algal cells and may enter the food chain by direct or indirect ways, which can cause negative effects on the aquatic ecosystem. This study supports a more accurate assessment of the true risk of MPs to marine aquatic ecosystems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dan Li
- State Key Laboratory of Geohazard Prevention and Geoenvironment Protection, Chengdu University of Technology, Chengdu, 610059, China; State Environmental Protection Key Laboratory of Synergetic Control and Joint Remediation for Soil & Water Pollution, Chengdu University of Technology, Chengdu, 610059, China; College of Ecology and Environment, Chengdu University of Technology, Chengdu, 610059, China
| | - Chengyin Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Geohazard Prevention and Geoenvironment Protection, Chengdu University of Technology, Chengdu, 610059, China; State Environmental Protection Key Laboratory of Synergetic Control and Joint Remediation for Soil & Water Pollution, Chengdu University of Technology, Chengdu, 610059, China; College of Ecology and Environment, Chengdu University of Technology, Chengdu, 610059, China
| | - Panchuan Leng
- State Key Laboratory of Geohazard Prevention and Geoenvironment Protection, Chengdu University of Technology, Chengdu, 610059, China; State Environmental Protection Key Laboratory of Synergetic Control and Joint Remediation for Soil & Water Pollution, Chengdu University of Technology, Chengdu, 610059, China; College of Ecology and Environment, Chengdu University of Technology, Chengdu, 610059, China
| | - Xin Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Geohazard Prevention and Geoenvironment Protection, Chengdu University of Technology, Chengdu, 610059, China; State Environmental Protection Key Laboratory of Synergetic Control and Joint Remediation for Soil & Water Pollution, Chengdu University of Technology, Chengdu, 610059, China; College of Ecology and Environment, Chengdu University of Technology, Chengdu, 610059, China
| | - Jie Feng
- State Key Laboratory of Geohazard Prevention and Geoenvironment Protection, Chengdu University of Technology, Chengdu, 610059, China; State Environmental Protection Key Laboratory of Synergetic Control and Joint Remediation for Soil & Water Pollution, Chengdu University of Technology, Chengdu, 610059, China; College of Ecology and Environment, Chengdu University of Technology, Chengdu, 610059, China
| | - Jing Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Geohazard Prevention and Geoenvironment Protection, Chengdu University of Technology, Chengdu, 610059, China; State Environmental Protection Key Laboratory of Synergetic Control and Joint Remediation for Soil & Water Pollution, Chengdu University of Technology, Chengdu, 610059, China; College of Ecology and Environment, Chengdu University of Technology, Chengdu, 610059, China.
| | - Guo Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Geohazard Prevention and Geoenvironment Protection, Chengdu University of Technology, Chengdu, 610059, China; State Environmental Protection Key Laboratory of Synergetic Control and Joint Remediation for Soil & Water Pollution, Chengdu University of Technology, Chengdu, 610059, China; College of Ecology and Environment, Chengdu University of Technology, Chengdu, 610059, China
| | - Chunyang Xu
- College of Harbor, Coastal and Offshore Engineering, Hohai University, Nanjing, 210098, China
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Zhao Y, Xie Z, Hu B, Li Y, Teng A, Zhong F. The effects of polypropylene microplastics on the removal of nitrogen and phosphorus from water by Acorus calamus, Iris tectorum and functional microorganisms. CHEMOSPHERE 2024; 364:143153. [PMID: 39197682 DOI: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2024.143153] [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: 06/22/2024] [Revised: 08/19/2024] [Accepted: 08/20/2024] [Indexed: 09/01/2024]
Abstract
Polypropylene microplastics (PP-MPs), an emerging pollutant, adversely affect the ability of aquatic plants to restore water bodies, thereby compromising the functionality and integrity of wetland ecosystems. This study examines the effects of microplastic stress on the nitrogen and phosphorus removal capacities of Acorus calamus and Iris tectorum, as well as on functional microorganisms within the aquatic system. The findings indicate that under PP-MP stress, the nitrogen and phosphorus absorption capabilities of both plants were diminished. Additionally, there was a significant reduction in the metabolic enzyme activities related to nitrogen and phosphorus in the plants, alongside a notable decrease in leaf nitrogen content. PP-MPs hinder the nutrient uptake of plants, affecting their growth and indirectly reducing their ability to utilize nitrogen and phosphorus. Specifically, in the 10 mg L-1 treatment group, A. calamus and I. tectorum showed reductions in leaf nitrogen content by 23.1% and 31.0%, respectively, and by 14.8% and 27.7% in the 200 mg L-1 treatment group. Furthermore, I. tectorum had higher leaf nitrogen levels than A. calamus. Using fluorescent tagging, the distribution of PP-MPs was traced in the roots, stems, and leaves of the plants, revealing significant growth impairment in both species. This included a considerable decline in photosynthetic pigment synthesis, enhanced oxidative stress responses, and increased lipid peroxidation in cell membranes. PP-MP exposure also significantly reduced the abundance of functional microorganisms involved in denitrification and phosphorus removal at the genus level in aquatic systems. Ecological function predictions revealed a notable decrease in nitrogen cycling functions such as nitrogen respiration and nitrite denitrification among water microorganisms in both treatment groups, with a higher ecological risk potential in the A. calamus treatment group. This study provides new insights into the potential stress mechanisms of PP-MPs on aquatic plants involved in water body remediation and their impacts on wetland ecosystems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yilin Zhao
- Hubei Key Laboratory of Yangtze Catchment Environmental Aquatic Science, School of Environmental Studies, China University of Geosciences, Wuhan, 430074, PR China.
| | - Zuoming Xie
- Hubei Key Laboratory of Yangtze Catchment Environmental Aquatic Science, School of Environmental Studies, China University of Geosciences, Wuhan, 430074, PR China; State Key Laboratory of Biogeology and Environmental Geology, China University of Geosciences, Wuhan, 430074, PR China.
| | - Baoming Hu
- Hubei Key Laboratory of Yangtze Catchment Environmental Aquatic Science, School of Environmental Studies, China University of Geosciences, Wuhan, 430074, PR China.
| | - Yuanle Li
- Hubei Key Laboratory of Yangtze Catchment Environmental Aquatic Science, School of Environmental Studies, China University of Geosciences, Wuhan, 430074, PR China.
| | - Aiting Teng
- Hubei Key Laboratory of Yangtze Catchment Environmental Aquatic Science, School of Environmental Studies, China University of Geosciences, Wuhan, 430074, PR China.
| | - Feng Zhong
- Safecleen Technology Co.,Ltd., Wuhan, 430062, PR China.
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4
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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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Park B, Cho B, Cho J, Kim T. Microplastic Contamination of a Benthic Ecosystem in a Hydrothermal Vent. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY 2024; 58:7636-7642. [PMID: 38629715 DOI: 10.1021/acs.est.4c02811] [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: 05/01/2024]
Abstract
Plastic contamination is a global pervasive issue, extending from coastal areas and open oceans to polar regions and even the deep sea. Microplastic (MP) contamination in hydrothermal vents, which are known for their high biodiversity even under extreme conditions, has remained largely unexplored. Here, we present, for the first time, MP pollution in a deep-sea hydrothermal vent at one of the biodiversity hotspots─the Central Indian Ridge. Not only the environment (seawater: 2.08 ± 1.04 MPs/L, surface sediments: 0.57 ± 0.19 MP/g) but also all six major benthic species investigated were polluted by MPs. MPs mainly consisted of polypropylene, polyethylene terephthalate, and polystyrene fragments ≤100 μm and were characterized as being either transparent or white in color. Remarkably, bioaccumulation and even biomagnification of microplastics were observed in the top predators of the ecosystem, such as squat lobsters (14.25 ± 4.65 MPs/individual) and vent crabs (14.00 ± 2.16 MPs/individual), since they contained more MPs than animals at lower trophic levels (e.g., mussels and snails, 1.75-6.00 average MPs/individuals). These findings reveal MP contamination of an ecosystem in a hydrothermal vent, thereby suggesting that their accumulation and magnification can occur in top-level animals, even within remote and extreme environments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Byeongyong Park
- Program in Biomedical Science and Engineering, Inha University, Incheon 22212, Republic of Korea
- Department of Ocean Sciences, Inha University, Incheon 22212, Republic of Korea
| | - Boongho Cho
- Program in Biomedical Science and Engineering, Inha University, Incheon 22212, Republic of Korea
- Department of Ocean Sciences, Inha University, Incheon 22212, Republic of Korea
| | - Jaemin Cho
- Program in Biomedical Science and Engineering, Inha University, Incheon 22212, Republic of Korea
- Department of Ocean Sciences, Inha University, Incheon 22212, Republic of Korea
| | - Taewon Kim
- Program in Biomedical Science and Engineering, Inha University, Incheon 22212, Republic of Korea
- Department of Ocean Sciences, Inha University, Incheon 22212, Republic of Korea
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Qian G, Zhang L, Chen Y, Xu C. Fish microplastic ingestion may induce tipping points of aquatic ecosystems. J Anim Ecol 2024; 93:45-56. [PMID: 37970633 DOI: 10.1111/1365-2656.14027] [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: 08/08/2023] [Accepted: 11/01/2023] [Indexed: 11/17/2023]
Abstract
Microplastics can be ingested by a wide range of aquatic animals. Extensive studies have demonstrated that microplastic ingestion-albeit often not lethal-can affect a range of species life-history traits. However, it remains unclear how the sublethal effects of microplastics on individual levels scale up to influence ecosystem-level dynamics through cascading trophic interactions. Here we employ a well-studied, empirically fed three-species trophic chain model, which was parameterized to mimic a common type of aquatic ecosystems to examine how microplastic ingestion by fish on an intermediate trophic level can produce cascading effects on the species at both upper and lower trophic levels. We show that gradually increasing microplastics in the ingested substances of planktivorous fish may cause population structure effects such as skewed size distributions (i.e. reduced average body length vs. increased maximal body size), and induce abrupt declines in fish biomass and reproduction. Our model analysis demonstrates that these abrupt changes correspond to an ecosystem-level tipping point, crossing which difficult-to-reverse ecosystem degradation can happen. Importantly, microplastic pollution may interact with other anthropogenic stressors to reduce safe operating space of aquatic ecosystems. Our work contributes to better understanding complex effects of microplastic pollution and anticipating tipping points of aquatic ecosystems in a changing world. It also calls attention to an emerging threat that novel microplastic contaminants may lead to unexpected and abrupt degradation of aquatic ecosystems, and invites systematic studies on the ecosystem-level consequences of microplastic exposure.
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Affiliation(s)
- Guangjing Qian
- School of Mathematical Science, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, China
| | - Lai Zhang
- School of Mathematical Science, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, China
| | - Yuxin Chen
- School of Mathematical Science, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, China
| | - Chi Xu
- School of Life Sciences, Nanjing University, Nanjing, China
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7
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de Ruijter VN, Hof M, Kotorou P, van Leeuwen J, van den Heuvel-Greve MJ, Roessink I, Koelmans AA. Microplastic Effect Tests Should Use a Standard Heterogeneous Mixture: Multifarious Impacts among 16 Benthic Invertebrate Species Detected under Ecologically Relevant Test Conditions. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY 2023; 57:19430-19441. [PMID: 37992256 DOI: 10.1021/acs.est.3c06829] [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] [Indexed: 11/24/2023]
Abstract
Microplastics require a risk assessment framework that takes their multidimensionality into account while exclusively considering robust data. Therefore, effect tests should use a diverse, environmentally relevant microplastic (ERMP) standard material that adheres to high-quality requirements. In this study, we provide chronic dose-effect relationships and effect thresholds for 16 benthic species exposed to ERMP. The ERMP was created from plastic items collected from natural sources and cryogenically milled to represent the diversity of microplastics. The test design met 20 previously published quality assurance and quality control criteria. Adverse effect thresholds (EC10) were determined at ERMP concentrations of 0.11 ± 0.17% sediment dry weight (Gammarus pulex, growth), 0.49 ± 0.68% sediment dry weight (Lumbriculus variegatus, growth), and 1.90 ± 1.08% sediment dry weight (L. variegatus, reproduction). A positive effect of microplastics, such as decreased mortality, was observed for Cerastoderma edule (EC10 = 0.021 ± 0.027% sediment dry weight) and Sphaerium corneum (EC10 = 7.67 ± 3.41% sediment dry weight), respectively. Several of these laboratory-based single-species effect thresholds for ERMP occurred at concentrations lower than those found in the environment. For other species, no significant effects were detected up to an ERMP dose of 10% dry weight.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vera N de Ruijter
- Aquatic Ecology and Water Quality Management Group, Wageningen University, Post Office Box 47, 6700 AA Wageningen, Netherlands
| | - Matthias Hof
- Aquatic Ecology and Water Quality Management Group, Wageningen University, Post Office Box 47, 6700 AA Wageningen, Netherlands
| | - Petranta Kotorou
- Aquatic Ecology and Water Quality Management Group, Wageningen University, Post Office Box 47, 6700 AA Wageningen, Netherlands
| | - Jesse van Leeuwen
- Wageningen Marine Research, Wageningen University & Research, Post Office Box 77, 4400 AB Yerseke, Netherlands
| | | | - Ivo Roessink
- Wageningen Environmental Research, Wageningen University & Research, Post Office Box 47, 6700 AA Wageningen, Netherlands
| | - Albert A Koelmans
- Aquatic Ecology and Water Quality Management Group, Wageningen University, Post Office Box 47, 6700 AA Wageningen, Netherlands
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8
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Quik JTK, Meesters JAJ, Koelmans AA. A multimedia model to estimate the environmental fate of microplastic particles. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2023; 882:163437. [PMID: 37059151 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.163437] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/09/2022] [Revised: 04/04/2023] [Accepted: 04/07/2023] [Indexed: 06/01/2023]
Abstract
Nano- and microplastic (NMP) is a diverse and challenging contaminant and data on NMP concentrations are therefore not fully available for all environmental compartments. For environmental assessments of NMP, screening-level multimedia models can fill this gap, but such models are not available. Here, we present SimpleBox4Plastic (SB4P) as the first multimedia 'unit world' model capable of addressing the full NMP continuum, explore its validity, and evaluate it based on a case study for microbeads and by comparisons with (limited) concentration data. SB4P links NMP transport and concentrations in and across air, surface water, sediment, and soil, taking into account processes such as attachment, aggregation, and fragmentation, by solving mass balance equations using matrix algebra. These link all concentrations and processes known to be relevant for NMP using first-order rate constants, which are obtained from the literature. The SB4P model, as applied to microbeads, provided mass or number concentrations of NMP as the total of 'free' particles, heteroaggregates with natural colloids, and larger natural particles in each compartment at steady state. Processes most relevant in explaining observed Predicted Exposure Concentrations (PECs) were determined using rank correlation analysis. Although the predicted PECs remained uncertain due to the propagating uncertainty, inferences regarding these processes and relative distribution across compartments can be considered robust.
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Affiliation(s)
- J T K Quik
- National Institute for Public Health and Environment (RIVM), Centre for Sustainability, Health and Environment, Antonie van Leeuwenhoeklaan 9, 3721 MA Bilthoven, the Netherlands.
| | - J A J Meesters
- National Institute for Public Health and Environment (RIVM), Centre for Safety of Substances and Products, Antonie van Leeuwenhoeklaan 9, 3721 MA Bilthoven, the Netherlands
| | - A A Koelmans
- Aquatic Ecology and Water Quality Management Group, Wageningen University, P.O. Box 47, 6700 DD Wageningen, the Netherlands
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Yang M, Tian X, Guo Z, Chang C, Li J, Guo Z, Li H, Liu R, Wang R, Li Q, Zou X. Wind erosion induced low-density microplastics migration at landscape scale in a semi-arid region of northern China. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2023; 871:162068. [PMID: 36754315 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.162068] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/06/2022] [Revised: 01/18/2023] [Accepted: 02/02/2023] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
Microplastics (MPs) have been extensively investigated in terrestrial environments, while the occurrence and movement of MPs at the landscape scale in semi-arid regions with serious wind erosion are less well studied. Here, we sampled film mulching farmland and downwind nearby grassland surface soils in a semi-arid region of northern China to explore the distribution of MPs at different downwind distances and the potential environmental risk to the local landscapes. The results revealed that the MP abundances presented a decreasing trend with increasing downwind distance (Mann-Kendall test, P < 0.01). The MP size distributions at different distances showed similar sigmoid trends described by logistic models. MP fiber size (500-2000 μm) abundance in the farmland was higher than that of the grassland. By contrast, MP non-fiber size (<1000 μm) abundance of farmlands was less than that of the grassland. The abundances of fibers larger than 500 μm and non-fibers larger than 1000 μm in size decreased exponentially with increasing downwind distance. The size of transported MPs at the landscape scale was larger than that of long-distance dispersal. The migration of MPs from farmlands can pose a potential threat to the downwind landscape, leading the downwind grassland to be a potential MP emission source. This study presents the first insights into the MPs distribution among different downwind distances at the landscape scale. Future research is required to deploy aeolian sediment sampling devices and establish the connection between the field data and the MP emission models.
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Affiliation(s)
- Meiniu Yang
- School of Geographical Sciences/Hebei Key Laboratory of Environmental Change and Ecological Construction/Hebei Technology Innovation Center for Remote Sensing Identification of Environmental Change, Hebei Normal University, Shijiazhuang, Hebei 050024, China
| | - Xia Tian
- School of Geographical Sciences/Hebei Key Laboratory of Environmental Change and Ecological Construction/Hebei Technology Innovation Center for Remote Sensing Identification of Environmental Change, Hebei Normal University, Shijiazhuang, Hebei 050024, China
| | - Zhongling Guo
- School of Geographical Sciences/Hebei Key Laboratory of Environmental Change and Ecological Construction/Hebei Technology Innovation Center for Remote Sensing Identification of Environmental Change, Hebei Normal University, Shijiazhuang, Hebei 050024, China.
| | - Chunping Chang
- School of Geographical Sciences/Hebei Key Laboratory of Environmental Change and Ecological Construction/Hebei Technology Innovation Center for Remote Sensing Identification of Environmental Change, Hebei Normal University, Shijiazhuang, Hebei 050024, China.
| | - Jifeng Li
- School of Geographical Sciences/Hebei Key Laboratory of Environmental Change and Ecological Construction/Hebei Technology Innovation Center for Remote Sensing Identification of Environmental Change, Hebei Normal University, Shijiazhuang, Hebei 050024, China
| | - Zixiao Guo
- School of Geographical Sciences/Hebei Key Laboratory of Environmental Change and Ecological Construction/Hebei Technology Innovation Center for Remote Sensing Identification of Environmental Change, Hebei Normal University, Shijiazhuang, Hebei 050024, China
| | - Huiru Li
- School of Geographical Sciences/Hebei Key Laboratory of Environmental Change and Ecological Construction/Hebei Technology Innovation Center for Remote Sensing Identification of Environmental Change, Hebei Normal University, Shijiazhuang, Hebei 050024, China
| | - Ruijuan Liu
- School of Geographical Sciences/Hebei Key Laboratory of Environmental Change and Ecological Construction/Hebei Technology Innovation Center for Remote Sensing Identification of Environmental Change, Hebei Normal University, Shijiazhuang, Hebei 050024, China
| | - Rende Wang
- Institute of Geographical Sciences, Hebei Academy Sciences/Hebei Engineering Research Center for Geographic Information Application, Shijiazhuang, Hebei 050011, China
| | - Qing Li
- Institute of Geographical Sciences, Hebei Academy Sciences/Hebei Engineering Research Center for Geographic Information Application, Shijiazhuang, Hebei 050011, China
| | - Xueyong Zou
- State Key Laboratory of Earth Surface Processes and Resource Ecology, MOE Engineering Center of Desertification and Blown-sand Control, Faculty of Geographical Science, Beijing Normal University, Beijing 100875, China
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10
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Conan P, Philip L, Ortega-Retuerta E, Odobel C, Duran C, Pandin C, Giraud C, Meistertzheim AL, Barbe V, Ter Hall A, Pujo-Pay M, Ghiglione JF. Evidence of coupled autotrophy and heterotrophy on plastic biofilms and its influence on surrounding seawater. ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION (BARKING, ESSEX : 1987) 2022; 315:120463. [PMID: 36272613 DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2022.120463] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/21/2022] [Revised: 09/22/2022] [Accepted: 10/15/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
We measured phytoplankton primary production and heterotrophic bacterial activities on microplastics and seawater in the Northwestern Mediterranean Sea during two 3-month spring periods over 2 consecutive years. Microorganisms growing on a 5 mm diameter low density polyethylene films (LDPE; 200 μm thick) faced two contrasting conditions depending on the year. Spring 2018 was characterized by consistent nutrient inputs and bloom development. In spring 2019, nutrient inputs and bloom were low. For the first time, we observed a clear coupling between primary production and heterotrophic prokaryote production on microplastics during both years, but with different intensity between years that reflected the crucial role of the trophic environmental conditions (nutrient supply) in shaping microbial activities on plastics. We found that high primary production on plastics could support the whole (net autotrophy) or the majority of the bacterial carbon demand needed for heterotrophic activities, supplemented by other carbon sources if surrounding waters are highly productive. We propose that microbial activity on plastics influences the microbial community in the surrounding seawater, especially when the environmental conditions are less favorable. An illustrative image of the role of plastics in the environment could be that of an inverter in an electrical circuit that mitigates both positive and negative variations. Our results highlight the potential role of the plastisphere in shaping biogeochemical cycles in the context of increasing amounts of plastic particles in the marine environment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pascal Conan
- Sorbonne Université, CNRS LOMIC - UMR 7621, Laboratoire d'Océanographie Microbienne, 1 Avenue Pierre Fabre, 66650, Banyuls sur Mer, France; Sorbonne Université, CNRS OSU STAMAR - UAR2017, 4 Place Jussieu, 75252, Paris cedex 05, France.
| | - Léna Philip
- Sorbonne Université, CNRS LOMIC - UMR 7621, Laboratoire d'Océanographie Microbienne, 1 Avenue Pierre Fabre, 66650, Banyuls sur Mer, France; SAS Plastic@Sea, Sorbonne Université (UPMC), CNRS LOMIC - UMR 7621, Laboratoire d'Océanographie Microbienne, 1 Avenue Pierre Fabre, 66650, Banyuls sur Mer, France
| | - Eva Ortega-Retuerta
- Sorbonne Université, CNRS LOMIC - UMR 7621, Laboratoire d'Océanographie Microbienne, 1 Avenue Pierre Fabre, 66650, Banyuls sur Mer, France
| | - Charlène Odobel
- Sorbonne Université, CNRS LOMIC - UMR 7621, Laboratoire d'Océanographie Microbienne, 1 Avenue Pierre Fabre, 66650, Banyuls sur Mer, France
| | - Clélia Duran
- Sorbonne Université, CNRS LOMIC - UMR 7621, Laboratoire d'Océanographie Microbienne, 1 Avenue Pierre Fabre, 66650, Banyuls sur Mer, France
| | - Caroline Pandin
- Sorbonne Université, CNRS LOMIC - UMR 7621, Laboratoire d'Océanographie Microbienne, 1 Avenue Pierre Fabre, 66650, Banyuls sur Mer, France
| | - Carolane Giraud
- Sorbonne Université, CNRS LOMIC - UMR 7621, Laboratoire d'Océanographie Microbienne, 1 Avenue Pierre Fabre, 66650, Banyuls sur Mer, France; CNRS, UMR 9220 ENTROPIE, Ifremer (LEAD-NC), IRD, Univ Nouvelle-Calédonie, Univ La Réunion, Nouméa, New Caledonia
| | - Anne-Leila Meistertzheim
- SAS Plastic@Sea, Sorbonne Université (UPMC), CNRS LOMIC - UMR 7621, Laboratoire d'Océanographie Microbienne, 1 Avenue Pierre Fabre, 66650, Banyuls sur Mer, France
| | - Valérie Barbe
- Génomique Métabolique, Genoscope, Institut François Jacob, CEA, CNRS, Univ Evry, Université Paris-Saclay, 91057, Evry, France
| | - Alexandra Ter Hall
- CNRS, Université de Toulouse, Laboratoire des Interactions Moléculaires et Réactivité Chimique et Photochimique (IMRCP), UMR, 5623, Toulouse, France
| | - Mireille Pujo-Pay
- Sorbonne Université, CNRS LOMIC - UMR 7621, Laboratoire d'Océanographie Microbienne, 1 Avenue Pierre Fabre, 66650, Banyuls sur Mer, France
| | - Jean-François Ghiglione
- Sorbonne Université, CNRS LOMIC - UMR 7621, Laboratoire d'Océanographie Microbienne, 1 Avenue Pierre Fabre, 66650, Banyuls sur Mer, France
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11
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Kokilathasan N, Dittrich M. Nanoplastics: Detection and impacts in aquatic environments - A review. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2022; 849:157852. [PMID: 35944628 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2022.157852] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/13/2022] [Revised: 07/13/2022] [Accepted: 08/01/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
The rise in the global production of plastics has led to severe concerns about the impacts of plastics in aquatic environments. Although plastic materials degrade over extreme long periods, they can be broken down through physical, chemical, and/or biological processes to form microplastics (MPs), defined here as particles between 1 μm and 5 mm in size, and later to form nanoplastics (NPls), defined as particles <1 μm in size. We know little about the abundance and effects of NPls, even though a lot of research has been conducted on the ecotoxicological impacts of MPs on both aquatic biota. Nevertheless, there is evidence that NPls can both bypass the cell membranes of microorganisms and bioaccumulate in the tissues and organs of higher organisms. This review analyzes 150 publications collected by searching through the databases Web of Science, SCOPUS, and Google Scholar using keywords such as nanoplastics*, aquatic*, detection*, toxic*, biofilm*, formation*, and extracellular polymeric substance* as singular or plural combinations. We highlight and critically synthesize current studies on the formation and degradation of NPls, NPls' interactions with aquatic biota and biofilm communities, and methods of detection. One reason for the missing data and studies in this area of research is the lack of a protocol for the detection of, and suitable methods for the characterization of, NPls in the field. Our primary aim is to identify gaps in knowledge throughout the review and define future directions of research to address the impacts of NPls in aquatic environments. The development of consistent and standardized sets of procedures would address the gaps in knowledge regarding the formation and degradation of NPls as well as sampling and characterizing natural NPls needed to observe the full extent of NPls on aquatic biota and biofilm communities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nigarsan Kokilathasan
- Biogeochemistry Group, Department of Physical and Environmental Sciences, University of Toronto Scarborough, 1065 Military Trail, Toronto, ON M1C1A4, Canada
| | - Maria Dittrich
- Biogeochemistry Group, Department of Physical and Environmental Sciences, University of Toronto Scarborough, 1065 Military Trail, Toronto, ON M1C1A4, Canada.
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12
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Shen C, Pan X, Wu X, Xu J, Dong F, Zheng Y. Predicting and assessing the toxicity and ecological risk of seven widely used neonicotinoid insecticides and their aerobic transformation products to aquatic organisms. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2022; 847:157670. [PMID: 35908706 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2022.157670] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/17/2022] [Revised: 07/23/2022] [Accepted: 07/23/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Neonicotinoid insecticides (NIs) are widely used worldwide, accounting for 25 % of the global insecticide market, and are easily transported into surrounding aquatic ecological environments after application. At present, >80 % of surface water is contaminated by NIs globally. Some transformation products (TPs) of NIs can exhibit greater toxicity to aquatic organism than their parent products. However, few studies have evaluated the toxicity and ecological risk of the TPs of NIs. In this study, we aimed to assess the toxicity and ecological risk of seven widely used NIs and their aerobic TPs to aquatic organisms using a prediction method. We found that partial aerobic TPs of NIs have greater toxicity to aquatic organisms than their parent products, and some of them could severely damage aquatic ecosystems. Meanwhile, acetamiprid, thiacloprid, and several other TPs of NIs with a chlorinated ring structure showed strong bioconcentration abilities, which could potentially harm aquatic organisms through the food chain. Moreover, the widespread use of NIs has certain aquatic ecological risks, which should be controlled and limited. This study comprehensively evaluated the ecological risk of seven widely used NIs and their aerobic TPs to aquatic organisms for the first time. Our results could provide an important reference for assessment of the aquatic environmental risk posed by NIs and pollution control.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chao Shen
- State Key Laboratory for Biology of Plant Diseases and Insect Pests, Institute of Plant Protection, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing 100193, PR China; College of Plant Health and Medicine of Qingdao Agricultural University, Qingdao 266109, PR China
| | - Xinglu Pan
- State Key Laboratory for Biology of Plant Diseases and Insect Pests, Institute of Plant Protection, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing 100193, PR China
| | - Xiaohu Wu
- State Key Laboratory for Biology of Plant Diseases and Insect Pests, Institute of Plant Protection, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing 100193, PR China
| | - Jun Xu
- State Key Laboratory for Biology of Plant Diseases and Insect Pests, Institute of Plant Protection, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing 100193, PR China
| | - Fengshou Dong
- State Key Laboratory for Biology of Plant Diseases and Insect Pests, Institute of Plant Protection, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing 100193, PR China.
| | - Yongquan Zheng
- College of Plant Health and Medicine of Qingdao Agricultural University, Qingdao 266109, PR China
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13
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Pan C, Guo Z, Luo M. A Simulation Experiment on Quality Dynamics of Reclaimed Water under Different Flow Exchanges. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2022; 19:13091. [PMID: 36293677 PMCID: PMC9603255 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph192013091] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/03/2022] [Revised: 09/13/2022] [Accepted: 09/14/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
Reclaimed water plays an important role in maintaining urban aquatic ecosystems, especially in areas with water shortages. However, there is little information on water quality dynamics and its driving mechanism in reclaimed water bodies. The simulated experiments were conducted to investigate the effect of flow exchange on water quality dynamics and soil microbial diversity for 100% reclaimed water and mixed water (50% reclaimed and 50% stream water), and the exchange periods ranged from 2 to 40 days. The results showed that the degradation coefficients (K) of CODMn and NH3-N were 0.015 d-1 and 0.001 d-1 for the mixed water, while their K values were negative for the reclaimed water. The flow exchange had little effect on water quality dynamics for the mixed water, which may be attributed to the relatively low concentration of TP in this reclaimed water. A small or great exchange period led to a relatively high fluctuation in K during the experimental period and corresponded to a worse soil microbial diversity. These results indicate that it is not recommended to fill an isolated urban lake with 100% reclaimed water and that a suitable flow exchange period of 5~10 days could help self-purify the water quality.
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14
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Lyu K, Yu B, Li D, Gu L, Yang Z. Increased food availability reducing the harmful effects of microplastics strongly depends on the size of microplastics. JOURNAL OF HAZARDOUS MATERIALS 2022; 437:129375. [PMID: 35724616 DOI: 10.1016/j.jhazmat.2022.129375] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/22/2022] [Revised: 05/31/2022] [Accepted: 06/11/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Shallow lakes and ponds, providing essential ecological and environmental services, are simultaneously disrupted by various pollutants of emerging concern (PECs). As a group of PECs, microplastics (MPs) ubiquitously found in freshwater are toxic to a huge variety of organisms. However, the consequence of secondary factors such as food quantity determining MPs toxicity, and the corresponding water safety risks await assessment is still poorly understood. Accordingly, we investigated how MPs across three particle sizes (10, 1 and 0.07 µm) interacted with food abundance to affect survival, reproduction and population performance in the waterflea Daphnia magna. Across multiple population traits, we found that MPs toxicity on Daphnia population performance was attenuated by higher food quantity, but this attenuation size was strongly dependent on MPs size. Path analysis results showed population growth rate was mainly constrained by reduced survival rather than fecundity. Furthermore, the additive null model revealed that the interactive effects of food abundance and MPs were predominately recognized as synergism and trait dependency. The present findings underscore the importance of considering the complexity of interactions that can occur in the wild, when assessing the effects of plastics pollution on population dynamics of the basic trophic level in lakes and ponds.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kai Lyu
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory for Biodiversity and Biotechnology, School of Biological Sciences, Nanjing Normal University, 1 Wenyuan Road, Nanjing 210023, China
| | - Bo Yu
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory for Biodiversity and Biotechnology, School of Biological Sciences, Nanjing Normal University, 1 Wenyuan Road, Nanjing 210023, China
| | - Da Li
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory for Biodiversity and Biotechnology, School of Biological Sciences, Nanjing Normal University, 1 Wenyuan Road, Nanjing 210023, China
| | - Lei Gu
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory for Biodiversity and Biotechnology, School of Biological Sciences, Nanjing Normal University, 1 Wenyuan Road, Nanjing 210023, China
| | - Zhou Yang
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory for Biodiversity and Biotechnology, School of Biological Sciences, Nanjing Normal University, 1 Wenyuan Road, Nanjing 210023, China.
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15
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Yang Q, Zhang S, Su J, Li S, Lv X, Chen J, Lai Y, Zhan J. Identification of Trace Polystyrene Nanoplastics Down to 50 nm by the Hyphenated Method of Filtration and Surface-Enhanced Raman Spectroscopy Based on Silver Nanowire Membranes. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY 2022; 56:10818-10828. [PMID: 35852947 DOI: 10.1021/acs.est.2c02584] [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] [Indexed: 05/13/2023]
Abstract
Nanoplastics are emerging pollutants that pose potential threats to the environment and organisms. However, in-depth research on nanoplastics has been hindered by the absence of feasible and reliable analytical methods, particularly for trace nanoplastics. Herein, we propose a hyphenated method involving membrane filtration and surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) to analyze trace nanoplastics in water. In this method, a bifunctional Ag nanowire membrane was employed to enrich nanoplastics and enhance their Raman spectra in situ, which omitted sample transfer and avoided losing smaller nanoplastics. Good retention rates (86.7% for 50 nm and approximately 95.0% for 100-1000 nm) and high sensitivity (down to 10-7 g/L for 50-1000 nm and up to 105 SERS enhancement factor) of standard polystyrene (PS) nanoplastics were achieved using the proposed method. PS nanoplastics with concentrations from 10-1 to 10-7 g/L and sizes ranging from 50 to 1000 nm were successfully detected by Raman mapping. Moreover, PS micro- and nanoplastics in environmental water samples collected from the seafood market were also detected at the μg/L level. Consequently, the proposed method provides more possibilities for analyzing low-concentration nanoplastics in aquatic environments with high enrichment efficiency, minimal sample loss, and high sensitivity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qing Yang
- School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Shandong University, Jinan 250100, China
| | - Shaoying Zhang
- School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Shandong University, Jinan 250100, China
| | - Jie Su
- School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Shandong University, Jinan 250100, China
| | - Shu Li
- School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Shandong University, Jinan 250100, China
| | - Xiaochen Lv
- School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Shandong University, Jinan 250100, China
| | - Jing Chen
- School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Shandong University, Jinan 250100, China
| | - Yongchao Lai
- Medical Science and Technology Innovation Center, Shandong First Medical University & Shandong Academy of Medical Sciences, Jinan 250117, China
| | - Jinhua Zhan
- School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Shandong University, Jinan 250100, China
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16
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Wang K, Lin H, Wang S, Dong X, Sun L, Zhou Q, Chen Y, Su B, Pan Z, Chen B, Gao Y. Species diversity and community structure of microalgae living on microplastics in Luoyuan Bay, China. MARINE POLLUTION BULLETIN 2022; 180:113809. [PMID: 35688065 DOI: 10.1016/j.marpolbul.2022.113809] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/02/2022] [Revised: 05/25/2022] [Accepted: 05/26/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
This study was carried out in Luoyuan Bay in March 2021. The species composition of microalgae community colonizing on microplastics called epimicroplastic microalgae (EMP-MA) was analyzed and compared with planktonic microalgae (PM) community. The species number of EMP-MA community (73) was higher than that of PM community (56). However Simpson Index and Pielou Evenness Index of EMP-MA community were significantly lower than that of PM community (P < 0.05). Although diatom was the most diverse and abundant taxa in both EMP-MA and PM community, their species compositions were significantly different (P < 0.05). Dominant species were also different between the two communities. Moreover, 12 harmful algal species were found in EMP-MA community, which may drift with microplastics and increase the risks of harmful algal blooms (HABs). This study is helpful to reveal the dispersal mechanism of HABs and potential impacts of EMP-MA on marine ecosystem.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kang Wang
- Third Institute of Oceanography, Ministry of Natural Resources, Xiamen 361005, China; School of Life Sciences, Xiamen University, Xiamen 361102, China
| | - Hui Lin
- Third Institute of Oceanography, Ministry of Natural Resources, Xiamen 361005, China
| | - Sumin Wang
- Third Institute of Oceanography, Ministry of Natural Resources, Xiamen 361005, China
| | - Xu Dong
- Third Institute of Oceanography, Ministry of Natural Resources, Xiamen 361005, China
| | - Lin Sun
- School of Life Sciences, Xiamen University, Xiamen 361102, China
| | - Qianqian Zhou
- Third Institute of Oceanography, Ministry of Natural Resources, Xiamen 361005, China
| | - Yanghang Chen
- Third Institute of Oceanography, Ministry of Natural Resources, Xiamen 361005, China
| | - Baosi Su
- Third Institute of Oceanography, Ministry of Natural Resources, Xiamen 361005, China
| | - Zhong Pan
- Third Institute of Oceanography, Ministry of Natural Resources, Xiamen 361005, China
| | - Baohong Chen
- Third Institute of Oceanography, Ministry of Natural Resources, Xiamen 361005, China.
| | - Yahui Gao
- School of Life Sciences, Xiamen University, Xiamen 361102, China.
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17
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Hitchcock JN. Microplastics can alter phytoplankton community composition. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2022; 819:153074. [PMID: 35038524 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2022.153074] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/16/2021] [Revised: 12/30/2021] [Accepted: 01/08/2022] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Microplastic pollution is a growing concern globally due to the risks they may pose to ecological communities. Phytoplankton are key ecological community in aquatic ecosystems providing both energy to food webs and have critical roles in ecosystem functions such as carbon cycling. To date studies on how microplastics effect phytoplankton have largely been limited to laboratory exposure studies using monocultures of algae. It remains unknown how the structure of phytoplankton communities will be influenced by growing microplastic pollution. The aim of this study was to determine how different concentrations microplastic fibers influence phytoplankton community structure. Two six-day microcosm studies were conducted testing the response of the phytoplankton community to low, medium, and high microplastics concentrations on the Georges River, Australia. The results showed the highest concentrations of microplastics significantly altered the structure phytoplankton community. These differences were largely driven by increased abundances of cyanobacteria taxa Aphanocapsa and Pseudanabaena, and to a lesser extent reduced abundances of taxa including Crucigenia and Chlamydmonas. There were no significant differences between controls and the low and medium treatments in either experiment. The high concentrations used in this experiment whilst likely rare in the environment are environmentally relevant and equivalent to some of more polluted ecosystems. The results highlight the potential risk to food webs and ecosystem functioning through altering the dynamics of primary production and provide evidence for further study examining the response of ecological communities to microplastics in the environment.
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Affiliation(s)
- James N Hitchcock
- University of Canberra, Institute for Applied Ecology, Centre for Applied Water Science, Australia.
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18
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Li Y, Wang M, Chen X, Cui S, Hofstra N, Kroeze C, Ma L, Xu W, Zhang Q, Zhang F, Strokal M. Multi-pollutant assessment of river pollution from livestock production worldwide. WATER RESEARCH 2022; 209:117906. [PMID: 34896811 DOI: 10.1016/j.watres.2021.117906] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/02/2021] [Revised: 11/05/2021] [Accepted: 11/25/2021] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Livestock production is often a source of multiple pollutants in rivers. However, current assessments of water pollution seldomly take a multi-pollutant perspective, while this is essential for improving water quality. This study quantifies inputs of multiple pollutants to rivers from livestock production worldwide, by animal types and spatially explicit. We focus on nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P), and Cryptosporidium (pathogen). We developed the MARINA-Global-L (Model to Assess River Inputs of pollutaNts to seAs for Livetsock) model for 10,226 sub-basins and eleven livestock species. Global inputs to land from livestock are around 94 Tg N, 19 Tg P, and 2.9 × 1021 oocysts from Cryptosporidium in 2010. Over 57% of these amounts are from grazed animals. Asia, South America, and Africa account for over 68% of these amounts on land. The inputs to rivers are around 22 Tg Total Dissolved Nitrogen (TDN), 1.8 Tg Total Dissolved P (TDP), and 1.3 × 1021 oocysts in 2010. Cattle, pigs, and chickens are responsible for 74-88% of these pollutants in rivers. One-fourth of the global sub-basins can be considered pollution hotspots and contribute 71-95% to the TDN, TDP, and oocysts in rivers. Our study could contribute to effective manure management for individual livestock species in sub-basins to reduce multiple pollutants in rivers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yanan Li
- College of Resources and Environmental Sciences, National Academy of Agriculture Green Development, Key Laboratory of Plant-Soil Interactions of MOE, China Agricultural University, Beijing, 100193, China; Water Systems and Global Change Group, Wageningen University & Research, Droevendaalsesteeg 4, Wageningen, 6708 PB, Netherlands.
| | - Mengru Wang
- Water Systems and Global Change Group, Wageningen University & Research, Droevendaalsesteeg 4, Wageningen, 6708 PB, Netherlands
| | - Xuanjing Chen
- College of Resources and Environment, Southwest University, Tiansheng Road 02, Chongqing, 400715, PR China
| | - Shilei Cui
- College of Resources and Environmental Sciences, National Academy of Agriculture Green Development, Key Laboratory of Plant-Soil Interactions of MOE, China Agricultural University, Beijing, 100193, China
| | - Nynke Hofstra
- Water Systems and Global Change Group, Wageningen University & Research, Droevendaalsesteeg 4, Wageningen, 6708 PB, Netherlands
| | - Carolien Kroeze
- Water Systems and Global Change Group, Wageningen University & Research, Droevendaalsesteeg 4, Wageningen, 6708 PB, Netherlands
| | - Lin Ma
- Key Laboratory of Agricultural Water Resources, Center for Agricultural Resources Research, Institute of Genetics and Developmental Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 286 Huaizhong Road, Shijiazhuang, 050021, PR China
| | - Wen Xu
- College of Resources and Environmental Sciences, National Academy of Agriculture Green Development, Key Laboratory of Plant-Soil Interactions of MOE, China Agricultural University, Beijing, 100193, China.
| | - Qi Zhang
- College of Resources and Environmental Sciences, National Academy of Agriculture Green Development, Key Laboratory of Plant-Soil Interactions of MOE, China Agricultural University, Beijing, 100193, China; Water Systems and Global Change Group, Wageningen University & Research, Droevendaalsesteeg 4, Wageningen, 6708 PB, Netherlands
| | - Fusuo Zhang
- College of Resources and Environmental Sciences, National Academy of Agriculture Green Development, Key Laboratory of Plant-Soil Interactions of MOE, China Agricultural University, Beijing, 100193, China
| | - Maryna Strokal
- Water Systems and Global Change Group, Wageningen University & Research, Droevendaalsesteeg 4, Wageningen, 6708 PB, Netherlands
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Amariei G, Rosal R, Fernández-Piñas F, Koelmans AA. Negative food dilution and positive biofilm carrier effects of microplastic ingestion by D. magna cause tipping points at the population level. ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION (BARKING, ESSEX : 1987) 2022; 294:118622. [PMID: 34871644 DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2021.118622] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/15/2021] [Revised: 11/30/2021] [Accepted: 12/01/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Ingestion of microplastics by aquatic organisms is often harmful due to the dilution of their regular food with low-calorie microplastic particles, but can also be beneficial if nutritious biofilms are present on the microplastic surface. This begs the question: is ingestion of microplastic harmful or beneficial and can the net effect of the two mechanisms be quantified? Here, we quantified these harmful and beneficial effects on Daphnia magna, using dose-response tests with clean and biofouled microplastic respectively, and determined the trade-off between these counteracting effects. A population model was developed to calculate the isoclines for zero population growth, separating the regime where adverse food dilution dominated from that where the beneficial biofilm vector mechanism dominated. Our results show that the organisms grew better when exposed to biofouled microplastic compared to pristine microplastic. Very good model predictions (R2 = 0.868-0.991) of the effects of biofouled microplastic were obtained based on literature parameter values, with optimization required only for the two sub-model parameters driving the dose-effect relationships for pristine microplastic. These results contradict previous sudies were only pristine microplastic were used and demonstrate that the ruling paradigm of unambiguously adverse microplastic effects is not ecologically justifiable.
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Affiliation(s)
- Georgiana Amariei
- Aquatic Ecology and Water Quality Management Group, Wageningen University, P.O. Box 47, 6700, DD, Wageningen, the Netherlands; Department of Chemical Engineering, Universidad de Alcalá, 28805, Alcalá de Henares, Madrid, Spain; Department of Biological and Chemical Engineering-Process and Materials Engineering, Aarhus University, Åbogade 40, DK-8200, Aarhus N., Denmark
| | - Roberto Rosal
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Universidad de Alcalá, 28805, Alcalá de Henares, Madrid, Spain
| | | | - Albert A Koelmans
- Aquatic Ecology and Water Quality Management Group, Wageningen University, P.O. Box 47, 6700, DD, Wageningen, the Netherlands.
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20
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Ding L, Ouyang Z, Liu P, Wang T, Jia H, Guo X. Photodegradation of microplastics mediated by different types of soil: The effect of soil components. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2022; 802:149840. [PMID: 34525762 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2021.149840] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/30/2021] [Revised: 08/18/2021] [Accepted: 08/18/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Microplastics (MPs) have attracted considerable attention due to its worldwide distribution, environmental persistence, and ecological risks. In this work, the photodegradation of MPs mediated by five different types of soils were investigated. The results showed: after 20 d of xenon lamp irradiation, significant degradation of MP was observed on Harbin (S1), Huainan (S2), Jiangxi (S3), Shaanxi (S4) and Hainan (S5). The order of photodegradation rate of MP was S2 > S5 > S4 > S1 > S3. The components of the soil have some correlations with MPs photodegradation. The photodegradation of MP mediated by soil components (specifically, the clay, the iron oxides and MnO2) displayed positive effect, while the photodegradation of MPs mediated by organic carbon showed inhibition trend. It is worth noting that electrostatic interaction may be the dominant factor affecting the interaction between MPs photodegradation rate and different soils surfaces. This study is helpful to deepen the understanding of the photochemical behavior of MP in soil, and is of great significance to evaluate the environmental fate and mechanism mediated by MP in soil.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ling Ding
- College of Natural Resources and Environment, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, Shaanxi 712100, China
| | - Zhuozhi Ouyang
- College of Natural Resources and Environment, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, Shaanxi 712100, China; Key Laboratory of Plant Nutrition and the Agro-environment in Northwest China, Ministry of Agriculture, Yangling, Shaanxi 712100, China
| | - Peng Liu
- College of Natural Resources and Environment, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, Shaanxi 712100, China; Key Laboratory of Plant Nutrition and the Agro-environment in Northwest China, Ministry of Agriculture, Yangling, Shaanxi 712100, China
| | - Tiecheng Wang
- College of Natural Resources and Environment, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, Shaanxi 712100, China; Key Laboratory of Plant Nutrition and the Agro-environment in Northwest China, Ministry of Agriculture, Yangling, Shaanxi 712100, China
| | - Hanzhong Jia
- College of Natural Resources and Environment, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, Shaanxi 712100, China; Key Laboratory of Plant Nutrition and the Agro-environment in Northwest China, Ministry of Agriculture, Yangling, Shaanxi 712100, China
| | - Xuetao Guo
- College of Natural Resources and Environment, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, Shaanxi 712100, China; Key Laboratory of Plant Nutrition and the Agro-environment in Northwest China, Ministry of Agriculture, Yangling, Shaanxi 712100, China.
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21
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Yu H, Qi W, Cao X, Wang Y, Li Y, Xu Y, Zhang X, Peng J, Qu J. Impact of microplastics on the foraging, photosynthesis and digestive systems of submerged carnivorous macrophytes under low and high nutrient concentrations. ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION (BARKING, ESSEX : 1987) 2022; 292:118220. [PMID: 34606972 DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2021.118220] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/01/2021] [Revised: 09/20/2021] [Accepted: 09/21/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
The prevalence of microplastics in marine, terrestrial, and freshwater habitats has raised concerns about their availability and risks to organisms. However, the effects of plastic debris on aquatic plants remain largely unknown and have hardly been studied, despite the importance of these plants in freshwater ecosystems. In this study, we exposed the aquatic carnivorous plant Utricularia vulgaris to polystyrene microplastics (10 and 80 mg/L) combined with different nutrient concentrations and then assessed their effects on the growth rate, photosynthesis, oxidative stress, and trap-associated microbial community of U. vulgaris. The impact of microplastic accumulation in the traps (or "bladders") of U. vulgaris was investigated using confocal microscopy. The results showed that the relative growth rate, shoot length, chlorophyll content, Fv/Fm, and ascorbate peroxidase enzyme activity of U. vulgaris decreased in 80 mg/L microplastics, whereas the superoxide dismutase and peroxidase enzyme activities increased significantly. The presence of microplastics led to higher malondialdehyde and hydrogen peroxide contents. However, high nutrient concentrations can compensate for the reduced growth performance of U. vulgaris in microplastic-exposure treatments. The microplastic treatments significantly altered the trap-associated microbial community structure and diversity. The results of this study revealed that beside adsorption, carnivorous plants can accumulate microplastics in their digestive organs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hongwei Yu
- Center for Water and Ecology, State Key Joint Laboratory of Environment Simulation and Pollution Control, School of Environment, Tsinghua University, Beijing, 100084, China; Key Laboratory of Drinking Water Science and Technology, Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100085, China
| | - Weixiao Qi
- Center for Water and Ecology, State Key Joint Laboratory of Environment Simulation and Pollution Control, School of Environment, Tsinghua University, Beijing, 100084, China
| | - Xiaofeng Cao
- Center for Water and Ecology, State Key Joint Laboratory of Environment Simulation and Pollution Control, School of Environment, Tsinghua University, Beijing, 100084, China
| | - Yajun Wang
- Center for Water and Ecology, State Key Joint Laboratory of Environment Simulation and Pollution Control, School of Environment, Tsinghua University, Beijing, 100084, China
| | - Yang Li
- The National Field Station of Freshwater Ecosystem of Liangzi Lake, Department of Ecology, College of Life Sciences, Wuhan University, Wuhan, 430072, China
| | - Yan Xu
- College of Marine Science and Technology, China University of Geosciences, Wuhan, 430074, China
| | - Xiaoliang Zhang
- The School of Hydraulic and Ecological Engineering, Nanchang Institute of Technology, Nanchang, 330095, China
| | - Jianfeng Peng
- Center for Water and Ecology, State Key Joint Laboratory of Environment Simulation and Pollution Control, School of Environment, Tsinghua University, Beijing, 100084, China.
| | - Jiuhui Qu
- Center for Water and Ecology, State Key Joint Laboratory of Environment Simulation and Pollution Control, School of Environment, Tsinghua University, Beijing, 100084, China; Key Laboratory of Drinking Water Science and Technology, Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100085, China
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22
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Casabianca S, Bellingeri A, Capellacci S, Sbrana A, Russo T, Corsi I, Penna A. Ecological implications beyond the ecotoxicity of plastic debris on marine phytoplankton assemblage structure and functioning. ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION (BARKING, ESSEX : 1987) 2021; 290:118101. [PMID: 34523510 DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2021.118101] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/22/2021] [Revised: 08/20/2021] [Accepted: 09/01/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Plastic pollution is a global issue posing a threat to marine biota with ecological implications on ecosystem functioning. Micro and nanoplastic impact on phytoplankton autotrophic species (e.g., cell growth inhibition, decrease in chlorophyll a and photosynthetic efficiency and hetero-aggregates formation) have been largely documented. However, the heterogeneity of data makes rather difficult a comparison based on size (i.e. micro vs nano). In addition, knowledge gaps on the ecological impact on phytoplankton assemblage structure and functioning are evident. A new virtual meta-analysis on cause-effect relationships of micro and nanoplastics on phytoplankton species revealed the significant effect posed by polymer type on reducing cell density for tested PVC, PS and PE plastics. Linked with autotrophic phytoplankton role in atmospheric CO2 fixation, a potential impact of plastics on marine carbon pump is discussed. The understanding of the effects of microplastics and nanoplastics on the phytoplankton functioning is fundamental to raise awareness on the overall impact on the first level of marine food web. Interactions between micro and nanoplastics and phytoplankton assemblages have been quite documented by in vitro examinations; but, further studies considering natural plankton assemblages and/or large mesocosm experiments should be performed to evaluate and try predicting ecological impacts on primary producers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Silvia Casabianca
- Department of Biomolecular Sciences, University of Urbino, Campus E. Mattei, 61121, Urbino, Italy; CoNISMa, National Inter-University Consortium for Marine Sciences, 00196, Rome, Italy; Fano Marine Center, The Inter-Institute Center for Research on Marine Biodiversity, Resources and Biotechnologies, 61032, Fano, Italy.
| | - Arianna Bellingeri
- Department of Physical, Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of Siena, 53100, Siena, Italy
| | - Samuela Capellacci
- Department of Biomolecular Sciences, University of Urbino, Campus E. Mattei, 61121, Urbino, Italy; CoNISMa, National Inter-University Consortium for Marine Sciences, 00196, Rome, Italy; Fano Marine Center, The Inter-Institute Center for Research on Marine Biodiversity, Resources and Biotechnologies, 61032, Fano, Italy
| | - Alice Sbrana
- Department of Biology, University of Rome Tor Vergata, 00133, Rome, Italy; PhD Program in Evolutionary Biology and Ecology, Department of Biology, University of Rome Tor Vergata, Via della Ricerca Scientifica snc, 00133, Roma, Italy
| | - Tommaso Russo
- CoNISMa, National Inter-University Consortium for Marine Sciences, 00196, Rome, Italy; Department of Biology, University of Rome Tor Vergata, 00133, Rome, Italy
| | - Ilaria Corsi
- CoNISMa, National Inter-University Consortium for Marine Sciences, 00196, Rome, Italy; Department of Physical, Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of Siena, 53100, Siena, Italy
| | - Antonella Penna
- Department of Biomolecular Sciences, University of Urbino, Campus E. Mattei, 61121, Urbino, Italy; CoNISMa, National Inter-University Consortium for Marine Sciences, 00196, Rome, Italy; Fano Marine Center, The Inter-Institute Center for Research on Marine Biodiversity, Resources and Biotechnologies, 61032, Fano, Italy
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23
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Alam T, Bezares-Cruz JC, Mahmoud A, Jones KD. Nutrients and solids removal in bioretention columns using recycled materials under intermittent and frequent flow operations. JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT 2021; 297:113321. [PMID: 34303939 DOI: 10.1016/j.jenvman.2021.113321] [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: 05/04/2021] [Revised: 07/11/2021] [Accepted: 07/16/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
This research investigated the fate and removal of nitrite (NO2-N), nitrate (NO3-N), orthophosphate (PO4-P), and total suspended solids (TSS) in two bioretention columns, which were designed with three recycled materials. The first column was packed with Recycled Concrete Aggregate (RCA). The second column was a Layered Media (LM), which has layers of RCA with crushed glass and rice husks. The columns were tested under intermittent and frequent operations of synthetic runoff with low and high feed concentrations. The effect of inflow concentration, antecedent dry days (ADD), column age, and the anticipated number of events (EN) was also statistically analyzed on the performance of columns. Depending on column types, nutrient removal was significantly (p < 0.05) increased under frequent flow operations by 26-53% over intermittent. However, TSS removal was notably (p < 0.05) increased by 23-35% under intermittent operations over frequent. Overall, LM showed an increased NO2-N (92 ± 2%) and NO3-N (88% ± 2%) removal under low feed frequent operations and TSS removal (97% ± 2%) under initial intermittent operations. On the contrary, RCA showed a maximum of 99% PO4-P removal under high feed frequent operations. Results showed that the nutrient outflow concentration was found to have a negative correlation with EN and column age and a positive correlation with ADDs throughout the experiments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Taufiqul Alam
- Department of Environmental Engineering, Texas A&M University-Kingsville, 917 W. Avenue B, Kingsville, TX, 78363, USA.
| | - Juan César Bezares-Cruz
- Department of Environmental Engineering, Texas A&M University-Kingsville, 917 W. Avenue B, Kingsville, TX, 78363, USA.
| | - Ahmed Mahmoud
- Department of Civil Engineering, University of Texas Rio Grande Valley, 1201 West University Drive, Edinburg, TX, 78539, USA.
| | - Kim D Jones
- Department of Environmental Engineering, Texas A&M University-Kingsville, 917 W. Avenue B, Kingsville, TX, 78363, USA.
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24
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Rodrigues SM, Elliott M, Almeida CMR, Ramos S. Microplastics and plankton: Knowledge from laboratory and field studies to distinguish contamination from pollution. JOURNAL OF HAZARDOUS MATERIALS 2021; 417:126057. [PMID: 34004578 DOI: 10.1016/j.jhazmat.2021.126057] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/19/2020] [Revised: 04/30/2021] [Accepted: 05/04/2021] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
Due to their ubiquitous presence, size and characteristics as ability to adsorb pollutants, microplastics are hypothesized as causing a major impact on smaller organisms, such as plankton. Despite this, there is a need to determine whether these impacts just relate to the environmental presence of the materials or their effects on biological processes. Therefore, we aimed to 1) review current research on plankton and microplastics; 2) compare field and laboratory experimental findings, and 3) identify knowledge gaps. The systematic review showed that 70% of the 147 relevant scientific publications were from laboratory studies and microplastics interactions with plankton were recorded in 88 taxa. Field study publications were relatively scarce and the characteristics of microplastics collected in the field were very different from those used in laboratory experiments thereby limiting the comparison between studies. Our systematic review highlighted knowledge gaps in: 1) the number of field studies; 2) the non-comparability between laboratory and field conditions, and 3) the low diversity of plankton species studied. Furthermore, this review indicated that while there are many studies on contamination by microplastics, the effects of this contamination (i.e., pollution per se) have been less well-studied, especially in the field at population, community, and ecosystem levels.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sabrina M Rodrigues
- CIIMAR - Interdisciplinary Centre of Marine and Environmental Research - Porto University, Porto, Portugal; ICBAS - Institute of Biomedical Sciences Abel Salazar - Porto University, Porto, Portugal.
| | - Michael Elliott
- Department of Biological & Marine Sciences, University of Hull, HU6 7RX, UK; International Estuarine & Coastal Specialists Ltd, Leven HU17 5LQ, UK
| | - C Marisa R Almeida
- CIIMAR - Interdisciplinary Centre of Marine and Environmental Research - Porto University, Porto, Portugal
| | - Sandra Ramos
- CIIMAR - Interdisciplinary Centre of Marine and Environmental Research - Porto University, Porto, Portugal
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25
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Arp HPH, Kühnel D, Rummel C, MacLeod M, Potthoff A, Reichelt S, Rojo-Nieto E, Schmitt-Jansen M, Sonnenberg J, Toorman E, Jahnke A. Weathering Plastics as a Planetary Boundary Threat: Exposure, Fate, and Hazards. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY 2021; 55:7246-7255. [PMID: 33973471 DOI: 10.1021/acs.est.1c01512] [Citation(s) in RCA: 119] [Impact Index Per Article: 39.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/20/2023]
Abstract
We described in 2017 how weathering plastic litter in the marine environment fulfils two of three criteria to impose a planetary boundary threat related to "chemical pollution and the release of novel entities": (1) planetary-scale exposure, which (2) is not readily reversible. Whether marine plastics meet the third criterion, (3) eliciting a disruptive impact on vital earth system processes, was uncertain. Since then, several important discoveries have been made to motivate a re-evaluation. A key issue is if weathering macroplastics, microplastics, nanoplastics, and their leachates have an inherently higher potential to elicit adverse effects than natural particles of the same size. We summarize novel findings related to weathering plastic in the context of the planetary boundary threat criteria that demonstrate (1) increasing exposure, (2) fate processes leading to poorly reversible pollution, and (3) (eco)toxicological hazards and their thresholds. We provide evidence that the third criterion could be fulfilled for weathering plastics in sensitive environments and therefore conclude that weathering plastics pose a planetary boundary threat. We suggest future research priorities to better understand (eco)toxicological hazards modulated by increasing exposure and continuous weathering processes, to better parametrize the planetary boundary threshold for plastic pollution.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hans Peter H Arp
- Department of Environmental Engineering, Norwegian Geotechnical Institute, NO-0806 Oslo, Norway
- Department of Chemistry, Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU), P.O. Box 8900, NO-7491, Trondheim, Norway
| | - Dana Kühnel
- Department of Bioanalytical Ecotoxicology, Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research-UFZ, DE-04107 Leipzig, Germany
| | - Christoph Rummel
- Department of Bioanalytical Ecotoxicology, Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research-UFZ, DE-04107 Leipzig, Germany
| | - Matthew MacLeod
- Department of Environmental Science, Stockholm University, SE-106 91 Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Annegret Potthoff
- Department of Characterization, Fraunhofer Institute for Ceramic Technologies and Systems (IKTS), DE-01277 Dresden, Germany
| | - Sophia Reichelt
- Department of Environmental Science, Stockholm University, SE-106 91 Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Elisa Rojo-Nieto
- Department of Ecological Chemistry, Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research-UFZ, DE-04107 Leipzig, Germany
| | - Mechthild Schmitt-Jansen
- Department of Bioanalytical Ecotoxicology, Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research-UFZ, DE-04107 Leipzig, Germany
| | - Johanna Sonnenberg
- Department of Characterization, Fraunhofer Institute for Ceramic Technologies and Systems (IKTS), DE-01277 Dresden, Germany
| | - Erik Toorman
- Hydraulics & Geotechnics Section, Department of Civil Engineering, KU Leuven, Kasteelpark Arenberg 40, Box 2448, B-3001 Heverlee, Belgium
| | - Annika Jahnke
- Department of Ecological Chemistry, Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research-UFZ, DE-04107 Leipzig, Germany
- Institute for Environmental Research, RWTH Aachen University, Worringerweg 1, DE-52074 Aachen, Germany
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26
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Feng J, Zhao H, Gong X, Xia MC, Cai L, Yao H, Zhao X, Yan Z, Li Z, Nie H, Ma X, Zhang S. In Situ Identification and Spatial Mapping of Microplastic Standards in Paramecia by Secondary-Ion Mass Spectrometry Imaging. Anal Chem 2021; 93:5521-5528. [PMID: 33779153 DOI: 10.1021/acs.analchem.0c05383] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
Microplastics (MPs) are universally present in the ecosystem and pose great threats to the environment and living organisms. Research studies have shown that small MPs (<50 μm in diameter) are especially toxic and account for more than half of all MPs collected in the Atlantic Ocean. Nevertheless, current methods for the detection and analysis of MPs are incapable of achieving rapid and in situ analysis of small MPs in the biota to ultimately enable the study of their biological effects. In this work, we report a method that allows rapid in situ identification and spatial mapping of small MPs directly from paramecia with high accuracy by acquiring chemical composition information using secondary-ion mass spectrometry (SIMS) imaging. Specifically, six types of common MPs (polymethyl methacrylate, polyvinyl chloride, polypropylene, polyethylene terephthalate, polyglycidyl methacrylate, and polyamide 6) with a diameter of 1-50 μm were simultaneously imaged with high chemical specificity at a spatial resolution of 700 nm. In situ spatial mapping of a group of MPs ingested by paramecia was performed using SIMS fragments specific to the plastic composition with no sample pretreatment, revealing the aggregation of MPs in paramecia after ingestion. Compared with existing methods, one additional advantage of the developed method is that the MPs and the organism can be analyzed in the same experimental workflow to record their fingerprint spectra, acquiring biochemical information to evaluate MP fate, toxicity, and the MP-biota interaction.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Xiaoyun Gong
- Mass Spectrometry Engineering Technology Research Center, Center for Advanced Measurement Science, National Institute of Metrology, Beijing 100029, China
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | - Honggang Nie
- Beijing National Laboratory for Molecular Sciences, College of Chemistry and Molecular Engineering, Peking University, Beijing 100871, P. R. China
| | - Xiaoxiao Ma
- Department of Precision Instrument, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China
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27
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Qian J, Tang S, Wang P, Lu B, Li K, Jin W, He X. From source to sink: Review and prospects of microplastics in wetland ecosystems. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2021; 758:143633. [PMID: 33223161 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2020.143633] [Citation(s) in RCA: 61] [Impact Index Per Article: 20.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/02/2020] [Revised: 11/02/2020] [Accepted: 11/08/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
The source, distribution, migration, and fate of microplastics (MPs) in aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems have received much attention. However, the relevant reports in wetland ecosystems, the boundary area between water and land, are still rare. Where are the sources and sinks of MPs in the wetland? The latest researches have shown that the sources of MPs in wetlands include sewage discharge, surface runoff, and plastic wastes from aquaculture. Fibers and fragments are the most common shapes, and PE, PP, PS can be detected in water or sediment matrices, and biota of wetlands. The distribution is affected by hydrodynamic conditions, sediment properties, and vegetation coverage. Factors affecting the vertical migration of MPs include their own physical and chemical properties, the combination of substances that accelerate deposition (mineral adsorption and biological flocculation), and resuspension. Minerals tend to adsorb negatively charged MPs while algae aggregates have a preference for positively charged MPs. The wetlands vegetation can trap MPs and affect their migration. In water matrices, MPs are ingested by organisms and integrated into sediments, which makes them seem undetectable in the wetland ecosystem. Photodegradation and microbial degradation can further reduce the MPs in size. Although recent research has increased, we are still searching for a methodological harmonization of the detection practices and exploring the migration rules and fate patterns of MPs. Our work is the first comprehensive review of the source, distribution, migration, and fate of MPs in wetland ecosystems. It reveals the uniqueness of wetland habitat in the research of MPs and indicates the potential of wetlands acting as sources or sinks for MPs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jin Qian
- Key Laboratory of Integrated Regulation and Resource Development on Shallow Lakes, Ministry of Education, Hohai University, Nanjing 210098, People's Republic of China; College of Environment, Hohai University, Nanjing 210098, People's Republic of China.
| | - Sijing Tang
- Key Laboratory of Integrated Regulation and Resource Development on Shallow Lakes, Ministry of Education, Hohai University, Nanjing 210098, People's Republic of China; College of Environment, Hohai University, Nanjing 210098, People's Republic of China
| | - Peifang Wang
- Key Laboratory of Integrated Regulation and Resource Development on Shallow Lakes, Ministry of Education, Hohai University, Nanjing 210098, People's Republic of China; College of Environment, Hohai University, Nanjing 210098, People's Republic of China
| | - Bianhe Lu
- Key Laboratory of Integrated Regulation and Resource Development on Shallow Lakes, Ministry of Education, Hohai University, Nanjing 210098, People's Republic of China; College of Environment, Hohai University, Nanjing 210098, People's Republic of China
| | - Kun Li
- Key Laboratory of Integrated Regulation and Resource Development on Shallow Lakes, Ministry of Education, Hohai University, Nanjing 210098, People's Republic of China; College of Environment, Hohai University, Nanjing 210098, People's Republic of China
| | - Wen Jin
- Key Laboratory of Integrated Regulation and Resource Development on Shallow Lakes, Ministry of Education, Hohai University, Nanjing 210098, People's Republic of China; College of Environment, Hohai University, Nanjing 210098, People's Republic of China
| | - Xixian He
- Key Laboratory of Integrated Regulation and Resource Development on Shallow Lakes, Ministry of Education, Hohai University, Nanjing 210098, People's Republic of China; College of Environment, Hohai University, Nanjing 210098, People's Republic of China
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28
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Ding L, Wang X, Ouyang Z, Chen Y, Wang X, Liu D, Liu S, Yang X, Jia H, Guo X. The occurrence of microplastic in Mu Us Sand Land soils in northwest China: Different soil types, vegetation cover and restoration years. JOURNAL OF HAZARDOUS MATERIALS 2021; 403:123982. [PMID: 33265021 DOI: 10.1016/j.jhazmat.2020.123982] [Citation(s) in RCA: 69] [Impact Index Per Article: 23.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/17/2020] [Revised: 08/24/2020] [Accepted: 09/09/2020] [Indexed: 05/07/2023]
Abstract
Microplastic (MP) pollution in terrestrial ecosystems has aroused great concern. However, little is known regarding the distribution of MPs in Sand Land soils and their associated destinies. We investigated the MPs pollution in different areas, different vegetation cover and restoration years in Mu Us Sand Land soils. The results clearly showed that the soils of Mu Us Sand Land contain a relatively higher MPs abundance. The significant differences of MPs abundance were demonstrated among soil from sand, grassland and woodland, which the total MP abundance of sand soil was higher than that of grassland and woodland. The distribution of MP size in the woodland area primarily from 0 to 0.50 mm, which is significantly higher than that other areas. In addition, the highest concentration of MP collected was found at Salix tree (ST), followed by Poplar tree (PT) and Chinese pine (CP), while the lowest concentration was at Pinus sylvestris (PSs) and Jujube tree (JT). It is worth noting that the abundance of MPs decreases with restoration years increased, whether it is PT or PSs. We speculate that the tree disturbance in the sampling area might affect the distribution of microplastics and then be conducive to plastic fragmentation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ling Ding
- College of Natural Resources and Environment, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, Shaanxi 712100, China
| | - Xinglei Wang
- College of Natural Resources and Environment, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, Shaanxi 712100, China
| | - Zhuozhi Ouyang
- College of Natural Resources and Environment, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, Shaanxi 712100, China; Key Laboratory of Plant Nutrition and the Agro-environment in Northwest China, Ministry of Agriculture, Yangling, Shaanxi 712100, China
| | - Yanhua Chen
- Institute of Plant Nutrition and Resources, Beijing Academy of Agricultural and Forestry Sciences, Beijing 100097, China
| | - Xuexia Wang
- Institute of Plant Nutrition and Resources, Beijing Academy of Agricultural and Forestry Sciences, Beijing 100097, China
| | - Dongsheng Liu
- Institute of Plant Nutrition and Resources, Beijing Academy of Agricultural and Forestry Sciences, Beijing 100097, China
| | - Shasha Liu
- Faculty of Environmental and Chemical Engineering, Zhaoqing University, Zhaoqing 526061, China
| | - Xiaomei Yang
- College of Natural Resources and Environment, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, Shaanxi 712100, China; Key Laboratory of Plant Nutrition and the Agro-environment in Northwest China, Ministry of Agriculture, Yangling, Shaanxi 712100, China
| | - Hanzhong Jia
- College of Natural Resources and Environment, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, Shaanxi 712100, China; Key Laboratory of Plant Nutrition and the Agro-environment in Northwest China, Ministry of Agriculture, Yangling, Shaanxi 712100, China
| | - Xuetao Guo
- College of Natural Resources and Environment, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, Shaanxi 712100, China; Key Laboratory of Plant Nutrition and the Agro-environment in Northwest China, Ministry of Agriculture, Yangling, Shaanxi 712100, China.
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Kong Q, Li Y, Xu X, Cheng J, Sun Y, Zhang L, Huang Y, Yang Z. Microplastics interfere with mixotrophic Ochromonas eliminating toxic Microcystis. CHEMOSPHERE 2021; 265:129030. [PMID: 33239234 DOI: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2020.129030] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/02/2020] [Revised: 11/15/2020] [Accepted: 11/17/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
Microplastics with different sizes exist widely in fresh waters, which may affect the interspecific dynamics between predator and prey. The flagellate Ochromonas gloeopara can efficiently eliminate Microcystis aeruginosa and degrade microcystins, which shows great potential for controlling harmful Microcystis. In order to evaluate the effects of microplastics on O. gloeopara eliminating Microcystis, we designed an experiment of O. gloeopara feeding on Microcystis under different sizes (0.07 and 3 μm) and concentrations (0, 0.4, 0.8, 1.6, and 2.0 mg L-1) of microplastics. The results showed that maximum abundance of M. aeruginosa decreased significantly with addition of microplastics, regardless of the size and concentration. O. gloeopara can ingest the microplastics and suffer from their adverse effects. The maximum abundance of O. gloeopara decreased with enhancing concentrations of 3 μm microplastics during the process of O. gloeopara eliminating M. aeruginosa, whereas 0.07 μm microplastics did not affect the growth of O. gloeopara obviously. During the period of exposure under microplastics, clearance rate of O. gloeopara on M. aeruginosa decreased with the increasing concentrations of microplastics. Specially, 3 μm microplastics had a stronger reduction on clearance rate of O. gloeopara. The time to M. aeruginosa extinction was prolonged with the increasing concentrations of microplastics in both sizes. Comparatively speaking, 3 μm microplastics had a stronger delayed effect on the removal of Microcystis. These findings suggest that microplastics can interfere with protozoa eliminating toxic Microcystis, which may aggravate their adverse impacts on aquatic ecosystem.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qingdan Kong
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory for Biodiversity and Biotechnology, School of Biological Sciences, Nanjing Normal University, 1 Wenyuan Road, Nanjing, 210023, China
| | - Yannan Li
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory for Biodiversity and Biotechnology, School of Biological Sciences, Nanjing Normal University, 1 Wenyuan Road, Nanjing, 210023, China
| | - Xiaoqing Xu
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory for Biodiversity and Biotechnology, School of Biological Sciences, Nanjing Normal University, 1 Wenyuan Road, Nanjing, 210023, China
| | - Jiahui Cheng
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory for Biodiversity and Biotechnology, School of Biological Sciences, Nanjing Normal University, 1 Wenyuan Road, Nanjing, 210023, China
| | - Yunfei Sun
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory for Biodiversity and Biotechnology, School of Biological Sciences, Nanjing Normal University, 1 Wenyuan Road, Nanjing, 210023, China
| | - Lu Zhang
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory for Biodiversity and Biotechnology, School of Biological Sciences, Nanjing Normal University, 1 Wenyuan Road, Nanjing, 210023, China
| | - Yuan Huang
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory for Biodiversity and Biotechnology, School of Biological Sciences, Nanjing Normal University, 1 Wenyuan Road, Nanjing, 210023, China
| | - Zhou Yang
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory for Biodiversity and Biotechnology, School of Biological Sciences, Nanjing Normal University, 1 Wenyuan Road, Nanjing, 210023, China.
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Nava V, Leoni B. A critical review of interactions between microplastics, microalgae and aquatic ecosystem function. WATER RESEARCH 2021; 188:116476. [PMID: 33038716 DOI: 10.1016/j.watres.2020.116476] [Citation(s) in RCA: 136] [Impact Index Per Article: 45.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/21/2020] [Revised: 09/18/2020] [Accepted: 09/27/2020] [Indexed: 05/21/2023]
Abstract
With the widespread occurrence of microplastics in aquatic ecosystems having been firmly established, the focus of research has shifted towards the assessments of their influence on ecosystem functions and food webs. This includes interactions between microplastics and microalgae, as fundamental components at the base of aquatic food webs and pivotal organisms in a wide range of ecosystem functions. In this review, we present the current state of knowledge on microalgae-microplastic interactions and summarize the potential effect on their respective fate. Microplastics can and do interact with microalgae and the available literature has suggested that the epiplastic community of microalgae differs consistently from the surrounding aquatic communities; however, it is still not clear whether this different colonization is linked to the composition of the surface or more to the availability of a "hard" substrate on which organisms can attach and grow. Further studies are needed to understand to what extent the properties of different plastic materials and different environmental factors may affect the growth of microalgae on plastic debris. Biofouling may alter microplastic properties, especially increasing their density, consequently affecting the vertical fluxes of plastics. Moreover, microplastics may have toxic effects on microalgae, which could be physical or related to chemical interactions with plasticizers or other chemicals associated with plastics, with consequences for algal growth, photosynthetic activity, and morphology. Microplastics seems to have the potential to affect not only the quality (e.g., fatty acids and lipids composition, food dilution effect) but also the quantity of algal production, both positively and negatively. This may have consequences for energy fluxes, which may propagate throughout the whole food web and alter aquatic productivity. Even though experimental results have indicated reciprocal impacts between plastics and microalgae, it is currently difficult to predict how these impacts may manifest themselves at the ecosystem level. Therefore, further studies are needed to address this important topic.
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Affiliation(s)
- Veronica Nava
- Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of Milano-Bicocca, Piazza Della Scienza 1, I-20126 Milano, Italy.
| | - Barbara Leoni
- Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of Milano-Bicocca, Piazza Della Scienza 1, I-20126 Milano, Italy.
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de Ruijter VN, Redondo-Hasselerharm PE, Gouin T, Koelmans AA. Quality Criteria for Microplastic Effect Studies in the Context of Risk Assessment: A Critical Review. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY 2020; 54:11692-11705. [PMID: 32856914 PMCID: PMC7547869 DOI: 10.1021/acs.est.0c03057] [Citation(s) in RCA: 103] [Impact Index Per Article: 25.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/12/2020] [Revised: 08/27/2020] [Accepted: 08/28/2020] [Indexed: 05/03/2023]
Abstract
In the literature, there is widespread consensus that methods in plastic research need improvement. Current limitations in quality assurance and harmonization prevent progress in our understanding of the true effects of microplastic in the environment. Following the recent development of quality assessment methods for studies reporting concentrations in biota and water samples, we propose a method to assess the quality of microplastic effect studies. We reviewed 105 microplastic effect studies with aquatic biota, provided a systematic overview of their characteristics, developed 20 quality criteria in four main criteria categories (particle characterization, experimental design, applicability in risk assessment, and ecological relevance), propose a protocol for future effect studies with particles, and, finally, used all the information to define the weight of evidence with respect to demonstrated effect mechanisms. On average, studies scored 44.6% (range 20-77.5%) of the maximum score. No study scored positively on all criteria, reconfirming the urgent need for better quality assurance. Most urgent recommendations for improvement relate to avoiding and verifying background contamination, and to improving the environmental relevance of exposure conditions. The majority of the studies (86.7%) evaluated on particle characteristics properly, nonetheless it should be underlined that by failing to provide characteristics of the particles, an entire experiment can become irreproducible. Studies addressed environmentally realistic polymer types fairly well; however, there was a mismatch between sizes tested and those targeted when analyzing microplastic in environmental samples. In far too many instances, studies suggest and speculate mechanisms that are poorly supported by the design and reporting of data in the study. This represents a problem for decision-makers and needs to be minimized in future research. In their papers, authors frame 10 effects mechanisms as "suggested", whereas 7 of them are framed as "demonstrated". When accounting for the quality of the studies according to our assessment, three of these mechanisms remained. These are inhibition of food assimilation and/or decreased nutritional value of food, internal physical damage, and external physical damage. We recommend that risk assessment addresses these mechanisms with higher priority.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vera N. de Ruijter
- Aquatic
Ecology and Water Quality Management group, Wageningen University & Research, P.O. Box 47, 6700 AA Wageningen, The Netherlands
| | - Paula E. Redondo-Hasselerharm
- Aquatic
Ecology and Water Quality Management group, Wageningen University & Research, P.O. Box 47, 6700 AA Wageningen, The Netherlands
| | - Todd Gouin
- TG
Environmental Research, Sharnbrook, Bedfordshire MK44 1PL, U.K.
| | - Albert A. Koelmans
- Aquatic
Ecology and Water Quality Management group, Wageningen University & Research, P.O. Box 47, 6700 AA Wageningen, The Netherlands
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32
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Li Z, Feng C, Wu Y, Guo X. Impacts of nanoplastics on bivalve: Fluorescence tracing of organ accumulation, oxidative stress and damage. JOURNAL OF HAZARDOUS MATERIALS 2020; 392:122418. [PMID: 32193107 DOI: 10.1016/j.jhazmat.2020.122418] [Citation(s) in RCA: 135] [Impact Index Per Article: 33.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/20/2019] [Revised: 02/18/2020] [Accepted: 02/26/2020] [Indexed: 05/06/2023]
Abstract
The outcomes of this research offer novel insights into the toxic effects of nanoparticles (i.e., nanoplastics or other nanomaterials) on the benthos. Herein, this study aimed to evaluate the accumulation pathway, distribution characteristics and potential biotoxicity of polystyrene nanoplastics in C. fluminea. The results revealed that nanoplastics could accumulate in the mantle through adherence, in the visceral mass through ingestion and in the gill through respiration. The gill, intestine and stomach were the main accumulation organs for nanoplastics. The aggregation of nanoplastics was observed in C. fluminea, which may exacerbate their biotoxicity. Moreover, oxidative stress was observed in the visceral mass, gill and mantle. Liver damage, neurotoxicity and intestinal inflammation were caused by imbalance in the antioxidation system. Analysis of IBR values showed that the visceral mass had a more effective response to oxidative stress than the gill and mantle after exposure to nanoplastics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhenling Li
- State Key Laboratory of Water Environment Simulation, School of Environment, Beijing Normal University, Beijing, 100875, PR China
| | - Chenghong Feng
- State Key Laboratory of Water Environment Simulation, School of Environment, Beijing Normal University, Beijing, 100875, PR China; The Key Laboratory of Water and Sediment Sciences, Ministry of Education, School of Environment, Beijing Normal University, Beijing, 100875, PR China.
| | - Yuehan Wu
- The Key Laboratory of Water and Sediment Sciences, Ministry of Education, School of Environment, Beijing Normal University, Beijing, 100875, PR China
| | - Xiaoyu Guo
- Southern Marine Science and Engineering Guangdong Laboratory, Institute of Environmental and Ecological Engineering, Guangdong University of Technology, Guangzhou, 510006, PR China
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Sun Y, Zhang X, Zhang L, Huang Y, Yang Z, Montagnes D. UVB Radiation Suppresses Antigrazer Morphological Defense in Scenedesmus obliquus by Inhibiting Algal Growth and Carbohydrate-Regulated Gene Expression. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY 2020; 54:4495-4503. [PMID: 32108484 DOI: 10.1021/acs.est.0c00104] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
Solar ultraviolet-B (UVB) radiation reaching the earth's surface is increasing due to stratospheric ozone depletion. How the elevated UVB affects the trophic interactions is critical for predicting the ecosystem functioning under this global-scale stressor. Usually, inducible defenses in phytoplankton stabilize community dynamics within aquatic environments. To assess the effects of elevated UVB on induced defense, we examined the changes in antigrazer colony formation in Scenedesmus obliquus under environmentally relevant UVB. S. obliquus exposed to Daphnia infochemicals consistently formed multicelled colonies, traits confirmed to be adaptive under predation risk. However, the suppressed photochemical activity and the metabolic cost from colony formation resulted in the severer reductions in algal growth by UVB under predation risk. The transcriptions of key enzyme-encoding genes, regulating the precursor synthesis during polysaccharide production, were also inhibited by UVB. Combination of the reduced production of daughter cells and the ability of daughter cells to remain attached, the antigrazing colony formation was interrupted, leading to the dominant morphs of algal population shifting from larger-sized colonies to smaller ones at raised UVB. The present study revealed that elevated UVB will not only reduce the phytoplankton growth but also increase their vulnerability to predation, probably leading to potential shifts in plankton food webs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yunfei Sun
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory for Biodiversity and Biotechnology, School of Biological Sciences, Nanjing Normal University, 1 Wenyuan Road, Nanjing 210023, China
| | - Xingxing Zhang
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory for Biodiversity and Biotechnology, School of Biological Sciences, Nanjing Normal University, 1 Wenyuan Road, Nanjing 210023, China
| | - Lu Zhang
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory for Biodiversity and Biotechnology, School of Biological Sciences, Nanjing Normal University, 1 Wenyuan Road, Nanjing 210023, China
| | - Yuan Huang
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory for Biodiversity and Biotechnology, School of Biological Sciences, Nanjing Normal University, 1 Wenyuan Road, Nanjing 210023, China
| | - Zhou Yang
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory for Biodiversity and Biotechnology, School of Biological Sciences, Nanjing Normal University, 1 Wenyuan Road, Nanjing 210023, China
| | - David Montagnes
- Institute of Integrative Biology, Biosciences Building, University of Liverpool, Liverpool L69 7ZB, U.K
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