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Effects of biodegradable microplastics on the crustacean isopod Idotea balthica basteri Audouin, 1826

Environmental Pollution 2024 6 citations ? Citation count from OpenAlex, updated daily. May differ slightly from the publisher's own count. Score: 55 ? 0–100 AI score estimating relevance to the microplastics field. Papers below 30 are filtered from public browse.
Mariacristina Cocca Loredana Manfra, Mariacristina Cocca Amalia Amato, Amalia Amato, Amalia Amato, Giovanni Libralato, Amalia Amato, Thomas Viel, Thomas Viel, Thomas Viel, Loredana Manfra, Thomas Viel, Thomas Viel, Loredana Manfra, Loredana Manfra, Amalia Amato, Amalia Amato, Amalia Amato, Amalia Amato, Amalia Amato, Amalia Amato, Emanuele Somma, Thomas Viel, Thomas Viel, Thomas Viel, Thomas Viel, Thomas Viel, Giovanni Libralato, Mariacristina Cocca Loredana Manfra, Giovanni Libralato, Mariacristina Cocca Mariacristina Cocca Mariacristina Cocca Amalia Amato, Roberta Esposito, Loredana Manfra, Mariacristina Cocca Amalia Amato, Mariacristina Cocca Roberta Esposito, Mariacristina Cocca Mariacristina Cocca Mariacristina Cocca Mariacristina Cocca Mariacristina Cocca Loredana Manfra, Loredana Manfra, Loredana Manfra, Loredana Manfra, Giovanni Libralato, Maria Costantini, Maria Costantini, Loredana Manfra, Loredana Manfra, Thomas Viel, Loredana Manfra, Loredana Manfra, Loredana Manfra, Loredana Manfra, Loredana Manfra, Loredana Manfra, Thomas Viel, Valerio Zupo, Mariacristina Cocca Mariacristina Cocca Mariacristina Cocca Mariacristina Cocca Mariacristina Cocca Mariacristina Cocca Mariacristina Cocca Mariacristina Cocca Giovanni Libralato, Mariacristina Cocca Giovanni Libralato, Mariacristina Cocca Giovanni Libralato, Mariacristina Cocca Mariacristina Cocca Mariacristina Cocca Amalia Amato, Mariacristina Cocca Mariacristina Cocca Mariacristina Cocca Mariacristina Cocca Thomas Viel, Francesca Glaviano, Giovanni Libralato, Amalia Amato, Mariacristina Cocca Loredana Manfra, Thomas Viel, Loredana Manfra, Mariacristina Cocca Loredana Manfra, Loredana Manfra, Loredana Manfra, Loredana Manfra, Loredana Manfra, Giovanni Libralato, Mariacristina Cocca Mariacristina Cocca Mariacristina Cocca Mariacristina Cocca Mariacristina Cocca Mariacristina Cocca Valerio Zupo, Valerio Zupo, Francesca Glaviano, Loredana Manfra, Loredana Manfra, Loredana Manfra, Loredana Manfra, Loredana Manfra, Loredana Manfra, Loredana Manfra, Mariacristina Cocca Mariacristina Cocca Giovanni Libralato, Loredana Manfra, Loredana Manfra, Mariacristina Cocca Mariacristina Cocca Loredana Manfra, Giovanni Libralato, Maria Costantini, Maria Costantini, Giovanni Libralato, Loredana Manfra, Mariacristina Cocca Giovanni Libralato, Giovanni Libralato, Valerio Zupo, Giovanni Libralato, Giovanni Libralato, Giovanni Libralato, Loredana Manfra, Loredana Manfra, Mariacristina Cocca Mariacristina Cocca Mariacristina Cocca Mariacristina Cocca Giovanni Libralato, Giovanni Libralato, Mariacristina Cocca Valerio Zupo, Maria Costantini, Loredana Manfra, Loredana Manfra, Valerio Zupo, Mariacristina Cocca Loredana Manfra, Mariacristina Cocca Mariacristina Cocca Mariacristina Cocca Mariacristina Cocca Roberta Esposito, Valerio Zupo, Emanuele Somma, Maria Costantini, Giovanni Libralato, Maria Costantini, Loredana Manfra, Loredana Manfra, Loredana Manfra, Loredana Manfra, Loredana Manfra, Mariacristina Cocca Maurizio Lorenti, Mariacristina Cocca Maria Costantini, Mariacristina Cocca Giovanni Libralato, Mariacristina Cocca Mariacristina Cocca Mariacristina Cocca Giovanni Libralato, Giovanni Libralato, Valerio Zupo, Maria Costantini, Valerio Zupo, Mariacristina Cocca Mariacristina Cocca Mariacristina Cocca Mariacristina Cocca Mariacristina Cocca Maria Costantini, Giovanni Libralato, Maria Costantini, Valerio Zupo, Mariacristina Cocca Maria Costantini, Maria Costantini, Mariacristina Cocca Valerio Zupo, Mariacristina Cocca Mariacristina Cocca Giovanni Libralato, Giovanni Libralato, Mariacristina Cocca

Summary

Researchers tested the effects of biodegradable microplastics on a marine crustacean and found that even plastics designed to break down can cause harm to aquatic organisms. Exposure affected the animals' survival, molting, and overall fitness, particularly at higher concentrations. The study challenges the assumption that biodegradable plastics are inherently safe for marine environments.

Polymers

Plastic pollution is a notable environmental issue, being plastic widespread and characterized by long lifetime. Serious environmental problems are caused by the improper management of plastic end-of-life. In fact, plastic litter is currently detected in any environment. Biodegradable Polymers (BPs) are promising materials if correctly applied and managed at their end of life, to minimize environmental problems. However, poor data on the fate and toxicity of BPs on marine organisms still limit their applicability. In this work we tested the effects of five biodegradable polymers (polybutylene succinate, PBS; polybutylene succinate-co-butylene adipate, PBSA; polycaprolactone, PCL; poly (3-hydroxybutyrates, PHB; polylactic acid, PLA) widely used for several purposes. Adult individuals of the isopod Idotea balthica basteri were fed on these polymers for twenty-seven days by adding biodegradable microplastic polymers (BMPs) to formulated feeds at two concentrations, viz. 0.84 and 8.4 g/kg feed. The plastic fragments affected the mortality rates of the isopods, as well as the expression levels of eighteen genes (tested by Real Time qPCR) involved in stress response and detoxification processes. Our findings confirmed that I. balthica basteri is a convenient model organism to study the response to environmental pollution and emerging contaminants in the aquatic environment, and highlighted the need for the correct use of BMPs.

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