Ecotoxicity of microplastics to freshwater biota: Considering exposure and hazard across trophic levels

Castro-Castellon, Ana T.; Horton, Alice A.; Hughes, Jocelyne M. R.; Rampley, Cordelia P. N.; Jeffers, Elizabeth S.; Bussi, Gianbattista; Whitehead, Paul

doi:10.1016/j.scitotenv.2021.151638

Cited by 81 publications

(15 citation statements)

References 165 publications

Supporting

Mentioning

Contrasting

Order By: Relevance

“…Various researches on the prevalence and suffusive contamination of microplastic particles in the aquatic environment have concentrated on marine systems more than freshwater ecosystems (Isobe et al, 2017(Isobe et al, , 2019Blettler et al, 2018;Zheng et al, 2019;Mataji et al, 2020;Nematollahi et al, 2020;Saeed et al, 2020;Ain Bhutto and You, 2022). Microplastics enter freshwater ecosystems (rivers, lakes, and streams) through a variety of ways, including sewage and landfill effluents, urban run-off, atmospheric deposition, wastewater treatment plants, and improper waste disposal (Horton et al, 2017b;Wu et al, 2019;Müller et al, 2020;Castro-Castellon et al, 2021). Rivers have nonetheless been identified as the primary route through which plastic waste enters the marine environment (Li et al, 2020).…”

Section: Food Web Interactions Of Microplasticsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Filter and suspension feeders including planktonic crustaceans (e.g., Daphnids), mussels, protozoans, and rotifers are particularly susceptible to microplastics intake due to their frequent ingestion of living (bioseston e.g., nekton and plankton) and non-living (tripton e.g., plant debris) particulate matter suspended in freshwater bodies (Thouvenot et al, 1999;Browne et al, 2008;Scherer et al, 2018;Koelmans et al, 2022). These interactions and trophic processes are poorly understood and further complicate our understanding of their MPs impacts and toxicosis to freshwater biota (Castro-Castellon et al, 2021;Ma and You, 2021;Ain Bhutto and You, 2022).…”

Section: Food Web Interactions Of Microplasticsmentioning

confidence: 99%

See 1 more Smart Citation

Micro(nano)plastics Prevalence, Food Web Interactions, and Toxicity Assessment in Aquatic Organisms: A Review

et al. 2022

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Plastic pollution is a fast-rising environmental catastrophe. Microplastics and nanoplastics (MNPs) are ubiquitous components of most aquatic environments, and their burgeoning prevalence is endangering aquatic organisms. Recent studies have documented the entanglement of marine and freshwater biota by plastic litters, particularly ghost fishing gear, resulting in suffocation, drowning, or starving to death. Numerous reports have shown that aquatic organisms readily ingest and accumulate these emerging contaminants in their digestive systems. Given experimental evidence that contaminants-laden MNPs can persist in the gastrointestinal tract for considerable durations, investigations have documented a high probability of lethal and sublethal toxicological effects associated with direct and indirect MNPs ingestions. These include chronic protein modulation, DNA damage, embryotoxicity, gastrointestinal toxicity, genotoxicity, growth inhibition toxicity, histopathotoxicity, liver toxicity, neurotoxicity, oxidative stress, reproductive toxicity, and tissue damage. Today, reports have proven the transfer of MNPs across the aquatic food web to humans. However, the mechanisms of multiple contaminants-laden MNPs-induced toxicities, size-dependent toxicity, and the comprehensive mode-of-action and alterations of digestive, reproductive, and neurological systems’ functionality in marine organisms are still unclear. Thus, this review mainly addresses the prevalence, food web interactions, and toxicity assessment of micro(nano) plastics in marine and freshwater organisms. It summarizes documented studies based on the following broad objectives: (1) the occurrence and prevalence of micro(nano) plastic particles in marine and freshwater environments; (2) the ingestion of MNPs by aquatic biota and the food web exposure routes and bioaccumulation of contaminated MNPs by higher trophic entities; (3) the adsorption and desorption of persistent organic pollutants, metals, and chemical additives on/from micro(nano)plastics; and (4) the probable ecotoxicological effects of micro(nano)plastics ingestion on aquatic biota.

show abstract

Section: Food Web Interactions Of Microplasticsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Food Web Interactions Of Microplasticsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Micro(nano)plastics Prevalence, Food Web Interactions, and Toxicity Assessment in Aquatic Organisms: A Review

et al. 2022

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…It has been demonstrated that MPs exert toxicity in various capacities to virtually all biota, including plants and animals across all trophic levels in both marine and freshwater ecosystems [ 29 ]. Plants and macrophytes subjected to short- and long-term exposure to MPs were found to have various stress responses, and this has been a major concern due to their position at the bottom of the food web.…”

Section: Possible Health Impacts In Humans and Effects In Plants And ...mentioning

confidence: 99%

The Burden of Microplastics Pollution and Contending Policies and Regulations

Usman

Razis

Shaari

et al. 2022

IJERPH

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

The relationship between humans and plastics has become intricate due to their versatile nature and low production cost. Plastics generation has surpassed that of other manufactured products, which, coupled with the prevailing poor waste management systems, makes it a serious problem for the terrestrial and aquatic environments as its final destination. Their extensive presence has continued to pose a significant threat, not only to the aquatic ecosystem but also to the approximately 3 billion people relying on it for their livelihood. Even more disturbing were the recent findings of these plastics in food and drinking water and the evidence of human exposure, the long-term health effects of which are largely unknown. This ubiquitous phenomenon has over time put plastics under critical observation, leading to the development of many local and international policies, resolutions, and directives aimed at addressing and reversing the menace. This review provided the first snapshot of the global and local governance strategies currently aimed at mitigating plastic pollution, their limitations, and future directions. The findings of the review revealed several aspects of microplastics (MPs) pollution to be overlooked in policy formulation, a laxity in policy implementation, and an apparent lack of indices to ascertain the impact of the regulations. Furthermore, there is currently no regulation on MPs contamination of food and drinking water and an apparent lack of funding for research into the health effects of plastics and their alternatives. This, therefore, necessitates the need for a well-coordinated approach at international and national levels to scale up these policies in all countries and translate them from paper to measurable, holistic, and realizable actions that will address all forms of plastic pollution.

show abstract

“…Laboratory research has proven various negative effects of MPs on different freshwater species, for instance inducing the activation of stress response genes (Xu et al 2020). MPs can also be transferred across the food web, affecting higher trophic levels (Castro-Castellon et al 2021). The overall risk of negative impacts on freshwater ecosystems induced by MPs is considered a relevant issue, as field studies have proven that a high exposure of organisms to MPs is frequently occurring in both lentic and lotic ecosystems (Cera et al 2022).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Microplastics distribution and possible ingestion by fish in lacustrine waters (Lake Bracciano, Italy)

Cera

Sighicelli

Sodo

et al. 2022

Environ Sci Pollut Res

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Understanding the spatial distribution patterns of microplastics (plastics < 5 mm) contributes to the assessment of sources and sinks of pollution thus providing information for the management of biota safety and overall ecosystem functionality. We chose a semi-closed study area, Lake Bracciano (Italy), to assess the environmental variability of contamination, focusing on the water compartment and the exposure of biota, specifically fish, by analysing the ingestion of microplastics. The focus of this study is to evaluate the concentration of microplastics in water (surface and column) across the lake and the ingestion of microplastics by two fish species of economic interest: Atherina boyeri and Coregonus lavaretus, inhabiting demersal and pelagic habitats respectively. Results show a surface contamination of 392,000 ± 417,000 items km −2 and a column one of 0.76 ± 1.00 items m −3 . Fragments were the most abundant in surface while fibres in the column. Microplastics were found in C. lavaretus specimens, corresponding to contamination frequency of 5% and concentration of 0.15 items/ fish. The main polymer found in water was polyethylene (81%); of minor percentages, there were various other polymers, including polystyrene and acrylic, which were also found in fish. As scientific literature provides few research where water and fish are simultaneously sampled, this investigation wants to contribute filling this knowledge gap by investigating for the first time a volcanic lake.

show abstract

Ecotoxicity of microplastics to freshwater biota: Considering exposure and hazard across trophic levels

Cited by 81 publications

References 165 publications

Micro(nano)plastics Prevalence, Food Web Interactions, and Toxicity Assessment in Aquatic Organisms: A Review

Micro(nano)plastics Prevalence, Food Web Interactions, and Toxicity Assessment in Aquatic Organisms: A Review

The Burden of Microplastics Pollution and Contending Policies and Regulations

Microplastics distribution and possible ingestion by fish in lacustrine waters (Lake Bracciano, Italy)

Contact Info

Product

Resources

About