The Effect of Microplastic Ingestion on Survival of the Grass Shrimp Palaemonetes pugio (Holthuis, 1949) Challenged with Vibrio campbellii

Abstract

Recent research indicates that microplastic (<5 mm) ingestion may impact the immune function of marine and aquatic organisms at the tissue and cellular levels; however, their susceptibility to disease following exposure has not been directly investigated. The objective of the present study was to directly evaluate the impact of microplastic ingestion on the susceptibility of the grass shrimp Palaemonetes pugio to bacterial infection with Vibrio campbellii. Grass shrimp were exposed to one of several particle treatments (natural sediment, polyethylene spheres, polypropylene fragments, tire fragments, and polyester fibers) or particle‐free water for 96 h at a nominal concentration of 50 000 particles/L prior to a bacterial challenge with V. campbellii. No significant mortality was observed among any of the particle types during the 96‐h particle exposure. The survival of grass shrimp following V. campbellii challenge did not vary significantly among shrimp exposed to particle‐free water, sediment, polyethylene spheres, polypropylene fragments, tire fragments, and polyester fibers. Grass shrimp cleared the majority of ingested particles and all the ventilated particles within 48 h. The present study shows that microplastic ingestion did not alter the susceptibility of grass shrimp to bacterial infection, and also provides depuration rates for a variety of microplastic shapes and polymer types that were previously lacking. This information increases our understanding of the size‐ and shape‐dependent effects of microplastic ingestion. Environ Toxicol Chem 2019;38:2233–2242. © 2019 SETAC.

Particle shape does not affect ingestion and egestion of microplastics by the freshwater shrimp Neocaridina palmata

“…Similarly, Gray and Weinstein ( 2017 ) tested the egestion of 11 different MPs with the estuarine shrimp P. pugio and observed no apparent trend towards a prolonged residence time of differently sized as well as shaped MPs. Likewise, the same species egested the majority of ingested PE spheres and PP fragments within 2 days (Leads et al 2019 ). Korez et al ( 2020 ) demonstrated that C. crangon egested the majority of PS beads after 24 to 48 h. However, they could not exclude the reentrance of MPs from feces due to coprophagy.…”

“…Saborowski et al ( 2019 ) demonstrated that the stomachs of P. varians were emptied from beads and fibers after 16–24 h. Bour et al ( 2020 ) support this observation since they demonstrated major and complete bead depuration in Artemia after 24 and 48 h, respectively. Leads et al ( 2019 ) showed that the egestion of different MP shapes is not affected in shrimps, which were previously injected with the bacterium Vibrio campbellii to increase their susceptibility to MPs. Taken together, our results are mostly in line with other publications and highlight that beads as well as fragments pass the shrimp’s gut.…”

Risks of Covid-19 face masks to wildlife: Present and future research needs

“… Qiao et al, 2019 Palaemonetes pugio (Decapoda) Polyester (63–150 um) obtained from fabric PP (34–93 um) obtained from weathered marine rope 50,000 items/L; 96 h No effects on survival and bacterial infection (for polyester). Increased mortality (PP) Leads et al, 2019 Lumbricus terrestris (Opisthopora) Polyester (361–387 × 40 Ø um) obtained from cushion 0, 0.1 and 1.0% w /w microfibers for 35 days ALtered burrowing and feeding behaviour, molecular genetic biomarkers. Prendergast-Miller et al, 2019 Achatina fulica (Stylommatophora) PET (1257 × 76.3 Ø um) 0.01–0.71 g/kg; 28 days Reduction in food intake and excretion, damage in the gastrointestinal walls, oxidative stress.…”

Reality Check: Experimental Studies on Microplastics Lack Realism

“…corals, with a 41% decrease in photochemical efficiency after 12 days [16]. Grass shrimp (Palaemonetes pugio) were exposed to either sediment, polyethylene spheres, polypropylene fragments, tire fragments, polyester fibers, or clean-water for 96 h at a nominal concentration of 50,000 particles/L before a bacterial challenge with V. campbellii [17]. Mortality was not observed in any of the exposures, and survival following the bacterial challenge was similar among shrimp exposed to particle-free water, sediment, polypropylene fragments, polyethylene spheres, tire fragments, and polyester fibers.…”