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Characterization and ecotoxicity of microparticles from polyurethane foam and Luffa cylindrica in Daphnia magna and Artemia salina
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Researchers characterized microparticles from kitchen sponges (polyurethane foam and synthetic abrasive fiber) and natural loofah, finding that sponge microparticles and their leachates showed acute toxicity to Daphnia magna and Artemia salina, while loofah particles were comparatively benign. The results demonstrate that synthetic household sponges are a significant but overlooked source of toxic microplastic particles released into wastewater with every use, pointing to loofah as a genuinely safer alternative.
This study aimed to characterize and study the toxic potential of microparticles generated from kitchen sponges (flexible polyurethane foam and abrasive synthetic fiber) and compare them with microparticles from loofah (Luffa cylindrica) for microcrustaceans Daphnia magna and Artemia salina. In addition, the toxicity of the leachate, flexible polyurethane foam particles, and abrasive fiber was evaluated. The structural and morphological characterization of the samples was carried out through the analysis of spectroscopy in the infrared region with Fourier Transform, scanning electron microscopy, and X-ray diffraction. To determine the diameter of the particles, the technique of sieving granulometry. Microcrustaceans were exposed to microparticle concentrations ranging from 20 to 200 mg L−1 for Daphnia magna and 1 to 23 g L−1 for Artemia salina. The microparticles and the leachates from the multipurpose sponge showed acute toxicity for the microcrustaceans, determined through the average effective concentration (EC50(48 h)) of the sponge microparticles and the toxicity factor (TF48h) of the leachates. This work addresses the characterization of the materials that make up the multipurpose sponge and the vegetable loofah and brings evidence of the toxicity of microparticles and leachate generated by these materials. These findings suggest that organism size and material composition significantly influence microplastic toxicity. Loofah emerges as a more environmentally friendly alternative to synthetic sponges, since it does not show acute toxicity and is biodegradable.
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