Microplastics do not affect standard ecotoxicological endpoints in marine unicellular organisms

MARINE POLLUTION BULLETIN

卷:143

Article

Gambardella, Chiara¹  Piazza, Veronica¹  Albentosa, Marina²  Bebianno, Maria Joao³  Cardoso, Cada³  Faimali, Marco¹  Garaventa, Francesca¹  Garrido, Soledad²  Gonzalez, Sergio⁴  Perez, Sara⁴  Sendra, Marta^3,5  Beiras, Ricardo⁴ 

[1] Natl Res Council CNR IAS, Inst Study Anthrop Impacts & Sustainabil Marine E, Via Marini 6, I-16149 Genoa, Italy

[2] Spanish Inst Oceanog IEO, Oceanog Ctr Murcia, Varadero 1, E-30740 Murcia, Spain

[3] Univ Algarve, CIMA, Campus Gambelas, P-8000139 Faro, Portugal

[4] Univ Vigo, ECIMAT, E-36331 Vigo, Galicia, Spain

[5] CSIC, Inst Marine Sci Andalusia, Dept Ecol & Coastal Management, Campus Rio San Pedro, Cadiz 11510, Spain

关键词: Bacteria;    Decomposers;    Growth inhibition;    Marine litter;    Microalgae;    Polyethylene;   

DOI  :  10.1016/j.marpolbul.2019.04.055

来源: Elsevier

【 摘 要 】

In this study, the acute toxicity of microplastics (MPs) on unicellular organisms as marine decomposers and microalgae was assessed, by evaluating standards endpoints included in International Standard Organization (ISO) protocols. The bacteria Vibrio fischeri and the diatom Phaeodacrylum tricornutum were exposed to different sizes (1-500 mu m) of polyethylene MPs in order to evaluate bioluminescence inhibition and microalgal growth. No acute toxicity was found on bacteria or microalgae in an order of magnitude above environmentally relevant concentrations, suggesting that tested MPs did not affect the investigated biological processes. In conclusion, standard ecotoxicological endpoints are not sufficiently sensitive to assess the potential effects of MPs on decomposers and primary producers, conversely to nanoplastics. These findings highlight that the current approach for MP risk assessment in unicellular species should be revised, by providing alternative endpoints to be included in standardized protocols, able to monitor the fate and biological effects of MPs.

【 授权许可】

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