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Are polylactic acid (PLA) microplastics a risk to marine organisms? Acute and chronic effects on the amphipods Gammarus aequicauda
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Researchers tested whether polylactic acid (PLA) microplastics, often marketed as a biodegradable alternative to conventional plastics, are safe for marine life. Both short-term and long-term exposure to PLA microplastics harmed marine amphipods, causing mortality at high concentrations and reduced growth and reproduction at lower levels. This challenges the assumption that biodegradable plastics are harmless to the environment and suggests they may pose similar risks as conventional microplastics.
Conventional plastics have become a major environmental concern due to their persistence and accumulation in marine ecosystems. Recently, the development of bio-based polymers, such as polylactic acid (PLA), has gained particular attention as an alternative to limit plastic pollution, as these materials can be degraded under certain conditions. This study investigated the ecotoxicity of polylactic acid (PLA) microplastics (38-220 μm) in the marine amphipod Gammarus aequicauda. To achieve this, juvenile amphipods (2-4 mm) were exposed to PLA in acute toxicity tests to assess mortality after 96 hours. In addition, the effects of chronic exposure (60 days) to PLA microplastics were assessed on the growth and fertility (reproduction, embryonic development and aborted eggs). The results showed a low acute effect with a LC₅₀ of 91.57 mgPLA/L, but exposure to sublethal concentrations (5 and 10 mgPLA/L) of MPs resulted in lower growth and reproduction success compared to control ones. The mean time spent by males and females of G. aequicauda in the precopulation and the time of appearance of the first ovigerous females were not affected by PLA exposure. However, the total number of ovigerous females and the total number of neonates per female were significantly reduced at sublethal concentrations of MP-PLA. Finally, reproductive failures (aborted eggs) were higher at 5 and 10 mgPLA/L. The results provide interesting food for thought and underline that although PLA is known as an innovative biodegradable polymer, its impact on marine biota should not be minimized and the use of biodegradable plastics should be strongly cautioned.
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Researchers compared the chronic toxicity of conventional polypropylene (PP) and biodegradable polylactic acid (PLA) microplastics on the marine amphipod Gammarus aequicauda to assess whether bioplastics are a safer alternative. The study found that both polymer types caused harm to this crustacean, indicating biodegradable plastics are not necessarily benign once released into marine environments.
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Scientists compared the toxicity of biodegradable PLA microplastics with conventional PET microplastics on water fleas and found that PLA was actually more harmful. At higher concentrations, PLA microplastics killed nearly half the organisms, reduced reproduction, and increased birth defects more than PET particles did. This challenges the assumption that biodegradable plastics are safer for the environment, suggesting they may pose similar or even greater ecological risks than conventional plastics.
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Researchers compared the ecotoxicological effects of bioplastic (polylactic acid) and fossil-based (polypropylene) microplastics on the amphipod Gammarus aequicauda over 60 days. Both types caused significant growth reduction by day 45, but polypropylene exposure led to lower survival rates and more pronounced reproductive impairment, while gene expression analysis showed both types induced similar stress responses over time.
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Researchers tested the toxicity of microplastics made from polylactic acid (PLA), a common bioplastic marketed as an eco-friendly alternative, on water fleas over 21 days. The PLA microplastics caused oxidative stress, depleted energy reserves, and reduced reproduction, though effects were generally milder than those reported for conventional plastics. This study challenges the assumption that bioplastics are harmless once they break down in the environment.
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