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Toxicity of leachate from weathering plastics: An exploratory screening study with Nitocra spinipes
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This screening study tested leachates from 21 weathered plastic products for acute toxicity to the marine copepod Nitocra spinipes, finding that 38% of plastics produced toxic leachates. Toxicity varied by plastic type and UV irradiation duration, with some plastics becoming more toxic after irradiation and others less so, demonstrating that weathering alters plastic leachate hazard profiles.
Between 60% and 80% of all marine litter is plastic. Leachate from plastics has previously been shown to cause acute toxicity in the freshwater species Daphnia magna. Here, we present an initial screening of the marine environmental hazard properties of leachates from weathering plastics to the marine harpacticoid copepod [Crustacea] Nitocra spinipes. Twenty-one plastic products made of different polymeric materials were leached and irradiated with artificial sunlight. Eight of the twenty-one plastics (38%) produced leachates that caused acute toxicity. Differences in toxicity were seen for different plastic products, and depending on the duration of irradiation. There was no consistent trend in how toxicity of leachate from plastics changed as a function of irradiation time. Leachate from four plastics became significantly more toxic after irradiation, two became significantly less toxic and two did not change significantly. Analysis of leachates from polyvinyl chloride (PVC) by liquid chromatography coupled to a full-scan high-resolution mass spectrometer showed that the leachates were a mixture of substances, but did not show evidence of degradation of the polymer backbone. This screening study demonstrates that leachates from different plastics differ in toxicity to N. spinipes and that the toxicity varies under simulated weathering.
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Assessment of the effects of leachates from plastic items and boat coatings on Nitokra spinipes in the context of global change
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Researchers assessed the toxicological effects of leachates derived from plastic items and boat antifouling coatings on the marine harpacticoid copepod Nitokra spinipes, exposing this ecotoxicology test organism to extracts generated as plastics and biocide-containing coatings physically degrade in aquatic environments. The study evaluated how chemical leaching from both plastic debris and boat coatings affects crustacean survival and reproduction, contributing to understanding of the combined chemical hazards of plastic pollution in coastal waters.
Assessment of the effects of leachates from plastic items and boat coatings on Nitokra spinipes in the context of global change
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Researchers assessed the ecotoxicological effects of leachates from plastic items and boat biocide coatings on the harpacticoid copepod Nitokra spinipes under conditions simulating global change, including elevated temperature and ocean acidification scenarios. The study examined how combined stressors from plastic-derived chemical leachates and environmental change factors interact to affect the development and survival of this marine invertebrate test organism.
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Researchers tested chemical leachates from different types of beach-collected plastics on a range of marine organisms and found that fishing nets, hard plastic containers, and trawling rubber were the most toxic. The plastics released over 30 chemical additives, with some causing death or developmental problems in crustaceans, sea urchins, jellyfish, and fish larvae. This study highlights that microplastic pollution harms marine life not just through physical ingestion but also through the toxic chemicals plastics release into the water.
UV weathering alters toxicity and chemical composition of consumer plastic leachates
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Researchers examined how UV weathering changes the toxicity and chemical makeup of leachates from eight types of consumer plastic products. They found that UV exposure increased cytotoxicity up to 13-fold, particularly for polyethylene leachates, and enhanced reactive toxicity by up to 82%. The increased toxicity was primarily linked to the release and transformation of organic chemicals rather than the microplastic particles themselves, highlighting UV weathering as a critical driver of plastic pollution hazards.
Can leachates of environmentally relevant concentrations of microplastics in marine sediments affect the reproduction of an epibenthic copepod?
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This study evaluated whether leachates from microplastics at environmentally realistic concentrations in marine sediments could affect the reproduction of an epibenthic copepod, without direct particle ingestion. Results provided insights into whether dissolved chemicals leaching from microplastics pose risks to benthic organisms at concentrations actually found in marine environments.
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