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Leachates from pyroplastics alter the behaviour of a key ecosystem engineer
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This study assessed microplastic contamination in the digestive tracts of wild shore birds from coastal habitats. Multiple species contained microplastics, with higher concentrations in birds foraging in intertidal zones compared to those feeding on open sand, suggesting that intertidal habitats are hotspots of microplastic exposure for shore birds.
As plastic pollution is increasing rapidly, novel forms of plastic litter have been lately described. One of most recently described type of plastic litter is pyroplastic, i.e. an amorphous matrix derived from the burning of manufactured plastics. We surveyed 12 locations along northern French shores where mussel reefs are a predominant feature. We recorded pyroplastic items at six sites (average weight of 3.34g) mainly made of polyethylene. We then tested the effects of exposure to raw and beached pyroplastic leachates on adaptive behavioural traits of the mussel Mytilus edulis, a key ecosystem engineer. The ability of mussels to move and aggregate were significantly affected by pyroplastic leachates, particularly those from beached pyroplastics. Additionally, the strength of the effects was polymer-dependent, with PE having a more pronounced effects than PP. Our results provide the first evidence that pyroplastics have more severe impacts on living organisms than those triggered by non-burnt plastics.
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Researchers found that leachates from virgin polypropylene plastic beads disrupt the chemotactic and chemokinetic behaviors of blue mussels (Mytilus edulis), impairing this ecosystem engineer's ability to respond to chemical cues and potentially compromising its ecological roles in coastal habitats.
Microplastic leachates induce chemical disruption of chemotactic and chemokinetic responses of an ecosystem engineer (Mytilus edulis)
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Researchers found that leachates from microplastic particles disrupt the chemotaxis and chemokinesis of blue mussels — their ability to detect and respond to chemical signals in water. These behavioral disruptions could impair the ability of mussels to locate food or avoid predators in contaminated environments. The study highlights that chemical leaching from microplastics, not just the particles themselves, can harm marine organisms.
Comparative multi-biomarker hazard assessment of weathered environmental microplastics and their DMSO-extractable leachates in Mytilus galloprovincialis.
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Mussels were exposed in the lab to weathered microplastics collected from a Moroccan beach, along with chemicals extracted from those particles. Both caused cell damage, but the extracted chemicals caused stronger DNA damage and changes in gene activity than the plastic particles themselves, varying by plastic type.
Size-dependent response of the mussel collective behaviour to plastic leachates and predator cues
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Researchers found that polypropylene microplastic leachates disrupted the collective anti-predator behavior of blue mussels, impairing the aggregation response that protects them from predatory crabs — with small mussels, the crab's preferred prey, most severely affected — suggesting plastic pollution could destabilize intertidal ecosystems through behavioral cascades.
Location-dependent effect of microplastic leachates on the respiration rate of two engineering mussel species
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Microplastic leachates from beached pellets collected in France and Portugal had different effects on respiration rates of two mussel species, with French-derived leachates causing greater metabolic disruption than Portuguese ones, suggesting regional chemical composition differences matter for ecotoxicity.
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When a large batch of papers lands in the Atlas, we read through it and send a short write-up of what stood out.