Microplastic pollution causes a major concern in the marine environment due to their worldwide distribution, persistence, and adverse effects of these pollutants in the marine ecosystem. Despite its global presence, there is still a lack of information on the effect of microplastics on marine organisms at the molecular level. Herein we demonstrated ingestion and egestion of nano- (0.05 μm) and micro-sized (0.5 and 6 μm) polystyrene microbeads in the marine copepod Paracyclopina nana, and examined molecular responses to exposure to microbeads with in vivo endpoints such as growth rate and fecundity. Also, we proposed an adverse outcome pathway for microplastic exposure that covers molecular and individual levels. This study provides the first insight into the mode of action in terms of microplastic-induced oxidative stress and related signaling pathways in P. nana.

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Recently, the nutritional requirements of marine finfish larvae have received considerable attention, and studies have shown that docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) affects the growth and survival of marine finfish larvae. We investigated the effects of different rotifer diets containing variable amounts of DHA on the growth and survival of larval Atlantic cod (Gadus morhua L.). Four different commercial rotifer enrichment formulations were used: spray-dried whole cells composed of Crypthecodinium sp. (ED1), spray-dried whole cells of Schizochytrium sp. (ED2), an oil emulsion (ED3) and ED1, and dried Chlorella at a 7:3 ratio by weight (ED4). The resultant rotifers contained a similar concentration of DHA (1.1–1.6% DW), but the level of DHA differed in proportion to EPA for each enrichment, and was designated ER1–4. Twelve 30-l aquaria were used with three replicates per treatment. Larvae were fed with rotifers from 3 to 43 days post-hatch (dph) at 4000 prey l−1. At the end of the experiment, no significant differences were found in body length and dry weight between the larvae reared on ER1 and ER2. However, larvae reared on ER3 were significantly smaller (both in length and weight) than larvae reared on ER1 and ER2. Larval survival on the ER2 treatment at 43 dph was significantly higher than on the other three treatments. Our results showed a positive effect of rotifer DHA proportions on growth and survival of cod larvae, and demonstrated that Atlantic cod larvae require a high ratio of dietary DHA to EPA.

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