Chemicals associated with biodegradable microplastic drive the toxicity to the freshwater oligochaete Lumbriculus variegatus

Klein, Kristina; Piana, Theresa; Lauschke, Tim; Schweyen, Peter; Dierkes, Georg; Ternes, Thomas A.; Schulte‐Oehlmann, Ulrike; Oehlmann, Jörg

doi:10.1016/j.aquatox.2020.105723

Cited by 42 publications

(17 citation statements)

References 66 publications

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“…On this path, Klein et al [ 62 ] in a study focused on the exposure of the freshwater oligochaete Lumbriculus variegatus to biodegradable microplastics showed how solvent-treated microplastics are less toxic than untreated microplastics and how exposure to methanolic extracted chemicals from microplastics induces strong toxicity, confirming our results. Although the phthalate concentrations in water samples were below the LOQ, preconditioning of PP in Triton X-100 probably caused the release of weakly bound contaminants, reducing the lethal effect to values similar to the negative control.…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 90%

Lethal and Sublethal Responses of Hydropsyche pellucidula (Insecta, Trichoptera) to Commercial Polypropylene Microplastics after Different Preconditioning Treatments

Piccardo

Bertoli

Pastorino

et al. 2021

Toxics

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Microplastics (MPs) pose biological and chemical hazards in aquatic and terrestrial food webs across the globe. Research on microplastic contamination has long focused on marine ecosystems, whereas the toxicological impact on freshwater organisms is still little explored. In this study, the lethal and sublethal response of the freshwater macroinvertebrate Hydropsyche pellucidula exposed to polypropylene MPs after different pre-conditioning treatments was assessed. Field samples were collected in a riverine system (Vipacco river; northeast Italy) to assess the characteristics of the MPs in the aquatic environment Both water and sediment were contaminated by MPs (3.73 ± 2.11 items m−3 per min and 3.33 ± 4.16 items dm−3, respectively). The chemical MPs composition included polystyrene, polyethylene terephthalate, polyurethane, polyamide, polypropylene, and polyethylene. Polypropylene (PP), although not the most abundant polymer recorded in the study area, was preferred over the other types according to its abundance in freshwater and H. pellucidula feeding behavior. A housing test was performed to recreate the natural conditions of larvae sampled for a reliable response to the ecotoxicological tests. The microplastics underwent either preconditioning with Vipacco River water (PP-river) and surfactant Triton X-100 (PP-sf) or no pre-treatment (PP). Submersion of microplastics in 10 µg L−1 of surfactant solution for 24 h was sufficient to induce consistent spectral changes and modify the chemical profile of the plastic surface. Mortality rate differed according to treatment: PP and PP-river > positive control > PP-sf > negative control. Integrated biomarker response (IBRv2) and analysis of oxidative stress biomarker levels showed a greater response of superoxide dismutase and lipid peroxidation (malondialdehyde) in larvae treated with PP conditioned in surfactant. Our findings enhance knowledge on the toxicity of PP and conditioning phases on H. pellucidula larvae.

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Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 90%

Lethal and Sublethal Responses of Hydropsyche pellucidula (Insecta, Trichoptera) to Commercial Polypropylene Microplastics after Different Preconditioning Treatments

Piccardo

Bertoli

Pastorino

et al. 2021

Toxics

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“…Moreover, replacements for traditional plastics such as biodegradable polymers, though catching the public imagination as a means to reduce human impact on the environment, also have not been investigated in sufficient detail, particularly as the polymer degradation products may themselves form MP fragments and particles and become available to biota (Senga Green et al, 2016). In addition, while microparticulate plastics remain the focus of much research, the potential degradation of polymer-based textiles to also release even finer plastic fragments and secondary chemicals such as dyes and plasticisers during use and laundering has received insufficient attention to date (Dalla Fontana et al, 2020;Klein et al, 2021).…”

Section: Knowledge Gaps and Concluding Remarksmentioning

confidence: 99%

Resolving the effects of environmental micro- and nanoplastics exposure in biota: A knowledge gap analysis

Thomas

Perono

Tommasi

et al. 2021

Science of The Total Environment

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“…Even so, PLA's biodegradation in water ecosystems in only 16 d is quite unlikely. On the other hand, Klein et al [79] studied the effects of PLA bio-MPs on a freshwater oligochaete but in artificial river sediment. They found that PLA bio-MPs mixed into the sediment significantly reduced the survival of Lumbriculus variegatus.…”

Section: Freshwater Ecosystemsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Biodegradable plastics in aquatic ecosystems: latest findings, research gaps, and recommendations

Ribba

Lopretti

Oca-Vásquez³

et al. 2022

Environ. Res. Lett.

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Plastic accumulation's negative impact on aquatic ecosystems is a known and undeniable problem. Much of the scientific community's efforts are focused on the effects of the most common commodity plastics, but the consequences of the so-called biodegradable plastics in these ecosystems have been little discussed. Although their biodegradable characteristic generates the widespread belief that they are harmless to the environment, it has been proven many years ago that this property cannot be taken lightly. The material´s end-of-life fate is critical to classify it as biodegradable or not. In this context, many plastics classified as biodegradable do not meet the requirements of norms and standards to be considered biodegradable in aquatic ecosystems. Furthermore, during the last five years, the scientific community has shown that they can give rise to the formation of bio-microplastics during their degradation, which can have similar effects to those of conventional microplastics or even worse. This review will detail all recent information regarding how biodegradable plastics can influence aquatic ecosystems, causing adverse health effects in living beings or acting as vectors of chemical pollutants. Besides, the key points that must be addressed in greater depth will be identified, including the need to consider a greater variety of biodegradable plastics and develop systematic methods that allow quantifying and identifying the remains of these pollutants in living species. Another aspect to consider is the dynamics of arrival and mobilization of microplastics in the oceans. It should be studied how small animals fed by filterings, such as red crabs and other zooplankton organisms, move the microplastic through the water column and get into food webs. These particles are mistakenly ingested by the number of species at different trophic levels, where bioaccumulation in tissues must be considered a toxicity factor. Finally, a series of recommendations and future perspectives will be listed.

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Chemicals associated with biodegradable microplastic drive the toxicity to the freshwater oligochaete Lumbriculus variegatus

Cited by 42 publications

References 66 publications

Lethal and Sublethal Responses of Hydropsyche pellucidula (Insecta, Trichoptera) to Commercial Polypropylene Microplastics after Different Preconditioning Treatments

Lethal and Sublethal Responses of Hydropsyche pellucidula (Insecta, Trichoptera) to Commercial Polypropylene Microplastics after Different Preconditioning Treatments

Resolving the effects of environmental micro- and nanoplastics exposure in biota: A knowledge gap analysis

Biodegradable plastics in aquatic ecosystems: latest findings, research gaps, and recommendations

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