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Comparative assessment of microplastics and microalgae as vectors of mercury and chlorpyrifos in the copepod Acartia tonsa
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Researchers compared microplastics and microalgae as carriers of mercury and the pesticide chlorpyrifos to marine copepods. They found that natural microalgae actually transferred more of these pollutants to the organisms than microplastic particles did. The study suggests that while microplastics can carry contaminants, their role as pollutant vectors may sometimes be overstated compared to natural particles that marine organisms normally consume.
Microplastics (MPs) raise concerns not only as pollutants themselves, but also due to their ability to act as vectors of pollutants adsorbed from seawater, transferring them to marine organisms. However, the relevance of MPs as carriers of pollutants compared to microalgae needs further exploration. This study compared the role of MPs (2-10 μm non-oxidized and 10-15 μm oxidized high-density polyethylene) and natural organic particles (Rhodomonas lens microalgae, MA) as carriers of mercury (Hg, 2.3 μg Hg/L) and chlorpyrifos (CPF, 1.0 μg CPF/L) to adult Acartia tonsa copepods, after 24-48 h exposure. Dose-response experiments were first performed with adult female copepods exposed to oxidized MPs (0.25-4.0 mg/L), waterborne Hg (0.01-10.0 μg/L) and Ox MPs + Hg (0.25-4.0 mg oxidized MPs/L + 0.50-8.0 μg Hg/L) for 48 h, to complement previous studies that focused on the pesticide CPF. Effects were evaluated with four replicates for physiological and reproductive responses (6 females/replicate), biochemical techniques (40 individuals/replicate) and Hg/CPF bioaccumulation measurements (1000 individuals/replicate). Copepods accumulated Hg/CPF similarly from dissolved pollutants (6204 ± 2265 ng Hg/g and 1251 ± 646 ng CPF/g) and loaded MPs (3125 ± 1389 ng Hg/g and 1156 ± 266 ng CPF/g), but significantly less from loaded MA (21 ± 8 ng Hg/g and 173 ± 80 ng CPF/g). After 24-48 h, copepods exposed to MPs + Hg/CPF showed generally greater biological effects than those exposed to dissolved Hg/CPF or to MA + Hg/CPF, although differences were not statistically significant. MA + CPF had significantly lower AChE inhibition (1073.4 nmol min-1 mg-1) and MA + Hg lower GRx induction (48.8 nmol min-1 mg-1) compared to MPs + Hg/CPF and dissolved Hg/CPF (182.8-236.4 nmol min-1 mg-1 of AChE and 74.1-101.7 nmol min-1 mg-1 of GRx). Principal component analysis suggested different modes of action for Hg and CPF.
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Researchers compared microplastics and microalgae as vectors for chlorpyrifos transfer into mussels, finding that both particle types facilitated pesticide bioaccumulation with distinct physiological and immune effects on the organisms.
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Researchers investigated the combined effects of polyethylene microplastics and the pesticide chlorpyrifos on the marine copepod Acartia tonsa. The study found that microplastics significantly increased the toxicity of chlorpyrifos, lowering the lethal concentration by approximately four-fold and dramatically reducing feeding and egg production. The findings confirm that microplastics can act as vectors for pollutants, increasing their availability and potential harm to marine organisms.
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Researchers compared how microplastics and natural phytoplankton particles each affect the toxicity of the pesticide chlorpyrifos in mussels. They found that both particle types adsorbed the pesticide and transferred it to the mussels, but the biological effects differed depending on the carrier. The study suggests that microplastics are not uniquely dangerous as pollutant carriers, since natural particles in the environment can play a similar role in shuttling chemicals into marine organisms.
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