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First evidence of environmental microplastics and their ingestion by Branchinecta gaini and Boeckella poppei in an Antarctic lake
Summary
Scientists collected water samples from an Antarctic lake and found microplastics (0.35–1.61 items per cubic meter, mostly polyester and acrylic fibers) for the first time in this type of remote freshwater environment, and confirmed that two key invertebrate species—a copepod and a fairy shrimp—ingest these particles. Even in one of the world's most isolated ecosystems, microplastic contamination has arrived and is entering the food chain. This baseline data is essential for tracking future contamination trends and understanding ecological risks in polar freshwater systems.
Plastic pollution poses a global threat to aquatic ecosystems due to its persistence, and widespread dispersion. Antarctic ecosystems are no exception, with plastics detected in seawater, marine sediments, meltwater streams, and marine organisms. However, no prior studies have investigated microplastics (MPs) pollution in Antarctic lakes and its consumption by invertebrates. This research assessed MPs densities in an Antarctic lake and experimentally evaluated their ingestion on a native copepod (Boeckella poppei) and an anostracan (Branchinecta gaini) under varying conditions, including MPs concentrations and biofilm presence. Water samples from Ionosférico Lake (King George/25 de Mayo Island, Antarctica) were collected in 2023, and MPs were analyzed using micro-FTIR. Microplastic densities ranged from 0.35 to 1.61 items/m³ with average sizes of 2.0 ± 1.5 mm, and fibers were the most abundant particle type (>80%). The primary polymers identified were polyester (65%) and acrylic (16%). As model organisms, B. gaini and B. poppei were collected from the same lake and used in bioassays, including the use of lake water and irregularly shaped polyethylene and polypropylene particles, two of the most widely produced plastics globally. Experimental results showed no significant alteration in survival but confirmed MPs ingestion in both species, albeit with low grazing rates, and B. poppei ingested more biofilm-coated MPs. This study provides the first evidence of MPs in an Antarctic lake and their ingestion by two key species in this ecosystem, establishing a baseline for understanding MPs contamination and biological interactions in Antarctic freshwater environments.