56 research outputs found
Ecotoxicological effects of chemical contaminants adsorbed to microplastics in the clam Scrobicularia plana
Although microplastics (MPs) are distributed globally in the marine environment, a great deal of unknowns relating to their ecotoxicological effects on the marine biota remains. Due to their lipophilic nature, microplastics have the potential to adsorb persistent organic pollutants present in contaminated regions, which may increase their detrimental impact once assimilated by organisms. This study investigates the ecotoxicological effects of exposure to low-density polyethylene (LDPE) microplastics (11-13 beta m), with and without adsorbed contaminants (benzo[a]pyrene- BaP and perfluorooctane sulfonic acid-PFOS), in the peppery furrow shell clam, Scrobicularia plana. Environmentally relevant concentrations of contaminants (BaP-16.87 +/- 0.22 mu g g(-1) and PFOS-70.22 +/- 12.41 mu g g(-1)) were adsorbed to microplastics to evaluate the potential role of plastic particles as a source of chemical contamination once ingested. S. plana were exposed to microplastics, at a concentration of 1 mg L-1, in a water-sediment exposure setup for 14 days. Clams were sampled at the beginning of the experiment (day 0) and after 3, 7, and 14 days. BaP accumulation, in whole clam tissues, was analyzed. A multi-biomarker assessment was conducted in the gills, digestive gland, and haemolymph of clams to clarify the effects of exposure. This included the quantification of antioxidant (superoxide dismutase, catalase, glutathione peroxidase) and biotransformation (glutathione-Stransferases) enzyme activities, oxidative damage (lipid peroxidation levels), genotoxicity (single and double strand DNA breaks), and neurotoxicity (acetylcholinesterase activity). Results suggest a potential mechanical injury of gills caused by ingestion of microplastics that may also affect the analyzed biomarkers. The digestive gland seems less affected by mechanical damage caused by virgin microplastic exposure, with the MPs-adsorbed BaP and PFOS exerting a negative influence over the assessed biomarkers in this tissue.JPI Oceans
FCT JPIOCEANS/0005/2015
JPI Oceans (BELSPO)
JPI Oceans (FWO)
JPI Oceans (FORMAS)
JPI Oceans (SwAM)
FCT
UID/MAR/00350/2013info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio
Immunotoxicity of polystyrene nanoplastics in different hemocyte subpopulations of Mytilus galloprovincialis
Plastic represents 60-80% of litter in the ocean. Degradation of plastic to small fragments leads to the formation of microplastics (MPs <5mm) and nanoplastics (NPs <1 mu m). One of the most widely used and representative plastics found in the ocean is polystyrene (PS). Among marine organisms, the immune system of bivalves is recognized as suitable to assess nanomaterial toxicity. Hemocyte subpopulations [R1 (large granular cells), R2 (small semi-granular cells) and R3 (small agranular or hyaline cells)] of Mytilus galloprovincialis are specialized in particular tasks and functions. The authors propose to examine the effects of different sizes (50 nm, 100 nm and 1 mu m) PS NPs on the different immune cells of mussels when they were exposed to (1 and 10mg.L-1) of PS NPs. The most noteworthy results found in this work are: (i) 1 mu m PS NPs provoked higher immunological responses with respect to 50 and 100nm PS NPs, possibly related to the higher stability in size and shape in hemolymph serum, (ii) the R1 subpopulation was the most affected with respect to R2 and R3 concerning immunological responses and (iii) an increase in the release of toxic radicals, apoptotic signals, tracking of lysosomes and a decrease in phagocytic activity was found in R1
Understanding How Microplastics Affect Marine Biota on the Cellular Level Is Important for Assessing Ecosystem Function: A Review
Plastic has become indispensable for human life. When plastic debris is discarded into waterways, these items can interact with organisms. Of particular concern are microscopic plastic particles (microplastics) which are subject to ingestion by several taxa. This review summarizes the results of cutting-edge research about the interactions between a range of aquatic species and microplastics, including effects on biota physiology and secondary ingestion. Uptake pathways via digestive or ventilatory systems are discussed, including (1) the physical penetration of microplastic particles into cellular structures, (2) leaching of chemical additives or adsorbed persistent organic pollutants (POPs), and (3) consequences of bacterial or viral microbiota contamination associated with microplastic ingestion. Following uptake, a number of individual-level effects have been observed, including reduction of feeding activities, reduced growth and reproduction through cellular modifications, and oxidative stress. Microplastic-associated effects on marine biota have become increasingly investigated with growing concerns regarding human health through trophic transfer. We argue that research on the cellular interactions with microplastics provide an understanding of their impact to the organisms’ fitness and, therefore, its ability to sustain their functional role in the ecosystem. The review summarizes information from 236 scientific publications. Of those, only 4.6% extrapolate their research of microplastic intake on individual species to the impact on ecosystem functioning. We emphasize the need for risk evaluation from organismal effects to an ecosystem level to effectively evaluate the effect of microplastic pollution on marine environments. Further studies are encouraged to investigate sublethal effects in the context of environmentally relevant microplastic pollution conditions
Occurrence of abnormal starfish Astropecten indicus (Doderlein, 1888) (Echinodermata: Astroidea) along Southeast coast of India
http://dx.doi.org/10.5007/2175-7925.2012v25n4p293Â Starfish Astropecten indicus was collected from bycatch landings at Mudasalodai fishing harbour, Tamil Nadu (India) in November 2011. Totally 134 specimens collected among three specimens (2,2%) have abnormally developed four and six arms. Normally, A. indicus has five arms and the deviation from pentamerism is a rare phenomenon in starfishes. The present observations suggest that deviations from pentamerism are not a heritable character but are a consequence of environmental perturbations on the metamorphosis of larvae and/or abnormal regeneration of arms
Antifouling activity by sea anemone (Heteractis magnifica and H. aurora) extracts against marine biofilm bacteria
Sea anemones (Actiniaria) are solitary, ocean-dwelling members of the phylum Cnidaria and the class Anthozoa. In this study, we screened antibacterial activity of two benthic sea anemones (Heteractis magnifica and H. aurora) collected from the Mandapam coast of southeast India. Crude extracts of the sea anemone were assayed against seven bacterial biofilms isolated from three different test panels. The crude extract of H. magnifica showed a maximum inhibition zone of 18 mm against Pseudomonas sp. and Escherichia coli and a minimum inhibition zone of 3 mm against Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Micrococcus sp., and Bacillus cerens for methanol, acetone, and DCM extracts, respectively. The butanol extract of H. aurora showed a maximum inhibition zone of 23 mm against Vibrio parahaemolyticus, whereas the methanol extract revealed a minimum inhibition zone of 1 mm against V. parahaemolyticus. The present study revealed that the H. aurora extracts were more effective than those of H. magnifica and that the active compounds from the sea anemone can be used as antifouling compounds
Antifouling activity by sea anemone (Heteractis magnifica and H. aurora) extracts against marine biofilm bacteria Actividades antiincrustantes de las extractos de las anémonas marinas Heteractis magnifica y H. aurora frente a biofilm de bacterias marinas
Sea anemones (Actiniaria) are solitary, ocean-dwelling members of the phylum Cnidaria and the class Anthozoa. In this study, we screened antibacterial activity of two benthic sea anemones (Heteractis magnifica and H. aurora) collected from the Mandapam coast of southeast India. Crude extracts of the sea anemone were assayed against seven bacterial biofilms isolated from three different test panels. The crude extract of H. magnifica showed a maximum inhibition zone of 18 mm against Pseudomonas sp. and Escherichia coli and a minimum inhibition zone of 3 mm against Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Micrococcus sp., and Bacillus cerens for methanol, acetone, and DCM extracts, respectively. The butanol extract of H. aurora showed a maximum inhibition zone of 23 mm against Vibrio parahaemolyticus, whereas the methanol extract revealed a minimum inhibition zone of 1 mm against V. parahaemolyticus. The present study revealed that the H. aurora extracts were more effective than those of H. magnifica and that the active compounds from the sea anemone can be used as antifouling compounds.Las anĂ©monas de mar (Actiniaria) son solitarias, habitantes oceánicos del phylum Cnidaria y de la clase Anthozoa. En este estudio se determina la actividad antibacteriana de dos anĂ©monas bentĂłnicas Heteractis magnifica y H. aurora recolectadas en la costa de Mandapam, sudeste de India. Los extractos crudos de estas anĂ©monas fueron ensayados frente a siete biofilms bacterianos aislados de tres paneles de control distintos. El extracto crudo de la anĂ©mona H. magnifica mostrĂł una zona inhibiciĂłn máxima de 18 mm contra Psudomonas sp. y Escherichia coli y la zona de inhibiciĂłn mĂnima de 3 mm fue encontrada frente a Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Micrococus sp. y Bacillus cerens de extractos de metanol, acetona y DCM respectivamente. El extracto de butanol de la anĂ©mona H. magnifica mostrĂł una zona de inhibiciĂłn máxima de 23 mm frente a Vibrio parahemolyticus, mientras que con el estracto de metanol se observĂł una zona de inhibiciĂłn mĂnima de 1 mm frente a V. parahemolyticus. El presente estudio mostrĂł que los extractos H. aurora son más efectivos que los de H. magnifica y que los compuestos activos de las anĂ©monas de mar pueden ser usados como compuestos anti-incrustantes
Using the Asian clam as an indicator of microplastic pollution in freshwater ecosystems
Bioindicators play an important role in understanding pollution levels, bioavailability and the ecological risks of contaminants. Several bioindicators have been suggested for understanding microplastic in the marine environment. A bioindicator for microplastics in the freshwater environment does not exist. In our previous studies, we found a high frequency of microplastic pollution in the Asian clam (Corbicula fluminea) in Taihu Lake, China. In the present study, we conducted a large-scale survey of microplastic pollution in Asian clams, water and sediment from 21 sites in the Middle-Lower Yangtze River Basin from August to October of 2016. The Asian clam was available in all sites, which included diverse freshwater systems such as lakes, rivers and estuaries. Microplastics were found at concentrations ranging from 0.34.9 items/g (or 0.4-5.0 items/individual) in clams, 0.5-3.1 items/L in water and 15-160 items/kg in sediment. Microfibers were the most dominant types of microplastics found, accounting for 60-100% in clams across all sampling sites. The size of microplastics ranged from 0.021-4.83 mm, and microplastics in the range of 0.25-1 mm were dominant. The abundance, size distribution and color patterns of microplastics in clams more closely resembled those in sediment than in water. Because microplastic pollution in the Asian clam reflected the variability of microplastic pollution in the freshwater environments, we demonstrated the Asian clam as an bioindicator of microplastic pollution in freshwater systems, particularly for sediments. (C) 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved
Microplastic Pollution in Table Salts from China
Microplastics have been found in
seas all over the world. We hypothesize
that sea salts might contain microplastics, because they are directly
supplied by seawater. To test our hypothesis, we collected 15 brands
of sea salts, lake salts, and rock/well salts from supermarkets throughout
China. The microplastics content was 550–681 particles/kg in
sea salts, 43–364 particles/kg in lake salts, and 7–204
particles/kg in rock/well salts. In sea salts, fragments and fibers
were the prevalent types of particles compared with pellets and sheets.
Microplastics measuring less than 200 ÎĽm represented the majority
of the particles, accounting for 55% of the total microplastics, and
the most common microplastics were polyethylene terephthalate, followed
by polyethylene and cellophane in sea salts. The abundance of microplastics
in sea salts was significantly higher than that in lake salts and
rock/well salts. This result indicates that sea products, such as
sea salts, are contaminated by microplastics. To the best of our knowledge,
this is the first report on microplastic pollution in abiotic sea
products
Using mussel as a global bioindicator of coastal microplastic pollution
The ubiquity and high bioavailability of microplastics have an unknown risk on the marine environment. Bio-monitoring should be used to investigate biotic impacts of microplastic exposure. While many studies have used mussels as indicators for marine microplastic pollution, a robust and clear justification for their selection as indicator species is still lacking. Here, we review published literature from field investigations and laboratory experiments on microplastics in mussels and critically discuss the suitability and challenges of mussels as sentinel organisms for microplastic pollution. Mussels are suitable sentinel organisms for microplastic pollution because of their wide distribution, vital ecological niches, susceptibility to microplastic uptake and close connection with marine predators and human health. Field investigations highlight a wide occurrence of mi-croplastics in mussels from all over the world, yet their abundance varies enormously. Problematically, these studies are not comparable due to the lack of a standardized approach, as well as temporal and spatial variability. Interestingly, microplastic abundance in field-collected mussels is closely related to human activity, and there is evidence for a positive and quantitative correlation between microplastics in mussels and surrounding waters. Laboratory studies collectively demonstrate that mussels may be good model organisms in revealing microplastic uptake, accumulation and toxicity. Consequently, we propose the use of mussels as target species to monitor microplastics and call for a uniform, efficient and economical approach that is suitable for a future large-scale monitoring program
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