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Human Health Effects
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Multi-level toxicity assessment of polylactic acid (PLA) microplastics on the cladoceran Daphnia magna
Aquatic Toxicology2024
15 citations
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Citation count from OpenAlex, updated daily. May differ slightly from the publisher's own count.
Score: 60
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0–100 AI score estimating relevance to the microplastics field. Papers below 30 are filtered from public browse.
Beatrice De Felice,
Beatrice De Felice,
Beatrice De Felice,
Beatrice De Felice,
Beatrice De Felice,
Beatrice De Felice,
Beatrice De Felice,
Beatrice De Felice,
Beatrice De Felice,
Beatrice De Felice,
Marco Parolini
Marco Parolini
Marco Parolini
Marco Parolini
Marco Parolini
Marco Parolini
Marco Parolini
Marco Parolini
Marco Parolini
Marco Parolini
Marco Parolini
Marco Parolini
Stefano Gazzotti,
Beatrice De Felice,
Beatrice De Felice,
Beatrice De Felice,
Marco Parolini
Marco Parolini
Marco Parolini
Beatrice De Felice,
Marco Parolini
Marco Parolini
Marco Parolini
Marco Parolini
Marco Parolini
Marco Parolini
Beatrice De Felice,
Beatrice De Felice,
Beatrice De Felice,
Beatrice De Felice,
Beatrice De Felice,
Beatrice De Felice,
Beatrice De Felice,
Beatrice De Felice,
Beatrice De Felice,
Beatrice De Felice,
Beatrice De Felice,
Marco Aldo Ortenzi,
Stefano Gazzotti,
Stefano Gazzotti,
Stefano Gazzotti,
Stefano Gazzotti,
Stefano Gazzotti,
Stefano Gazzotti,
Marco Parolini
Marco Aldo Ortenzi,
Marco Aldo Ortenzi,
Beatrice De Felice,
Stefano Gazzotti,
Stefano Gazzotti,
Beatrice De Felice,
Beatrice De Felice,
Beatrice De Felice,
Beatrice De Felice,
Beatrice De Felice,
Marco Aldo Ortenzi,
Stefano Gazzotti,
Marco Parolini
Marco Aldo Ortenzi,
Beatrice De Felice,
Beatrice De Felice,
Marco Aldo Ortenzi,
Beatrice De Felice,
Beatrice De Felice,
Marco Parolini
Marco Parolini
Stefano Gazzotti,
Beatrice De Felice,
Marco Aldo Ortenzi,
Beatrice De Felice,
Stefano Gazzotti,
Marco Parolini
Marco Parolini
Marco Parolini
Beatrice De Felice,
Beatrice De Felice,
Marco Parolini
Marco Parolini
Stefano Gazzotti,
Beatrice De Felice,
Beatrice De Felice,
Stefano Gazzotti,
Marco Parolini
Marco Parolini
Marco Parolini
Marco Aldo Ortenzi,
Beatrice De Felice,
Marco Parolini
Marco Parolini
Marco Parolini
Marco Parolini
Marco Parolini
Marco Aldo Ortenzi,
Marco Aldo Ortenzi,
Beatrice De Felice,
Marco Aldo Ortenzi,
Marco Parolini
Marco Aldo Ortenzi,
Beatrice De Felice,
Marco Aldo Ortenzi,
Marco Parolini
Marco Parolini
Marco Aldo Ortenzi,
Marco Aldo Ortenzi,
Marco Aldo Ortenzi,
Marco Aldo Ortenzi,
Marco Parolini
Marco Parolini
Marco Parolini
Marco Parolini
Stefano Gazzotti,
Stefano Gazzotti,
Beatrice De Felice,
Marco Aldo Ortenzi,
Marco Aldo Ortenzi,
Marco Aldo Ortenzi,
Marco Aldo Ortenzi,
Marco Aldo Ortenzi,
Marco Aldo Ortenzi,
Marco Aldo Ortenzi,
Marco Aldo Ortenzi,
Marco Aldo Ortenzi,
Marco Aldo Ortenzi,
Marco Parolini
Marco Parolini
Marco Parolini
Marco Parolini
Marco Aldo Ortenzi,
Marco Parolini
Marco Parolini
Stefano Gazzotti,
Stefano Gazzotti,
Marco Parolini
Marco Parolini
Marco Parolini
Marco Parolini
Marco Parolini
Beatrice De Felice,
Beatrice De Felice,
Beatrice De Felice,
Marco Parolini
Marco Parolini
Marco Parolini
Marco Parolini
Marco Parolini
Marco Parolini
Marco Parolini
Summary
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.
The accumulation of plastics waste in the environment has raised a worrisome concern, moving the society to seek out for sustainable solutions, such as the transition from the use of fossil-based, conventional plastics to bioplastics (BPs). However, once in the environment bioplastics have the same probability to accumulate and experience weathering processes than conventional plastics, leading to the formation of microplastics (MPs). However, to date the information on the potential toxicity of MPs originated from the weathering of bioplastics is limited. Thus, this study aimed at investigating the adverse effects induced by the exposure to MPs made of a bioplastic polymer, the polylactic acid (PLA), towards the freshwater cladoceran Daphnia magna. Organisms were exposed for 21 days to three concentrations (0.125 µg/mL, 1.25 µg/mL and 12.5 µg/mL) of PLA microplastics (hereafter PLA-MPs). A multi-level approach was performed to investigate the potential effects through the biological hierarchy, starting from the sub-individual up to the individual level. At the sub-individual level, changes in the oxidative status (i.e., the amount of reactive oxygen species and the activity of antioxidant and detoxifying enzymes) and oxidative damage (i.e., lipid peroxidation) were explored. Moreover, the total caloric content as well as the content of protein, carbohydrate and lipid content assess were used to investigate the effects on energy reserves. At individual level the changes in swimming activity (i.e., distance moved and swimming speed) were assessed. Our results showed that the exposure to PLA-MPs induced a slight modulation in the oxidative status and energy reserves, leading to an increase in swimming behavior of treated individuals compared to control conspecifics. These results suggest that the exposure to MPs made of a bioplastic polymer can induce adverse effects similar to those caused by conventional polymers.