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Acute and multigenerational toxicity of polylactic acid microplastics on a copepod bioindicator
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Researchers discovered that polylactic acid microplastics, marketed as eco-friendly biodegradable plastics, are toxic to a key zooplankton species across multiple generations, raising concerns that "bioplastic" alternatives may not be as safe for aquatic ecosystems as widely assumed.
Bioplastics such as polylactic acid are actually promoted as eco-friendly alternatives to fossil fuel-derived plastics, yet bioplastic toxicity remains poorly known. Here we studied the acute and multigenerational effects of polylactic acid microplastics on the copepod Eurytemora affinis, a bioindicator species of zooplankton. Results on acute toxicity revealed that lethal concentration values are higher for adult males, of 134.6 mg microplastic/L, than for adult females, of 106.9 mg/L. In multigeneration exposure, 400 µg/L polylactic acid microplastics induced higher mortality, production of smaller-sized eggs, elongation of the naupliar phase, and offspring with lower fitness. This led to reduction in female body size, including prosome length, width, and volume. Noteworthy, we also observed a recovery in copepod survival and reproductive parameters in the fifth filial generation.
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Multigenerational effects of polylactic acid microplastics on the microbiota of the sentinel copepod Eurytemora affinis
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Researchers exposed the estuarine copepod Eurytemora affinis to polylactic acid microplastics across four generations and found significant reductions in gut microbiota diversity starting in the second generation, with enrichment of plastic-degrading bacteria and altered fatty acid metabolism pathways, though the microbiome showed signs of partial recovery after one contaminant-free generation.
Toxic effects of polylactic acid microplastics on photosynthesis and motility of Microglena sp.
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Polylactic acid microplastics — made from a supposedly biodegradable plastic — inhibited the growth, photosynthesis, and swimming ability of a marine microalgae species, with genes controlling flagella and photosynthesis both suppressed. This matters because microalgae form the base of marine food chains, and even 'eco-friendly' bioplastics can cause real ecological harm as they break down.
Environmental Fate and Effects of Microplastics on Organisms
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This review examined the environmental fate of microplastics — including fragmentation dynamics, sorption of co-contaminants, and bioaccumulation through food webs — alongside their toxic effects on organisms ranging from invertebrates to mammals. Understanding how plastics persist, concentrate toxicants, and biomagnify through trophic levels is essential for predicting long-term health consequences for wildlife and human consumers.
Ecotoxicological Effects of Microplastics in Marine Zooplankton
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Marine zooplankton ingest microplastics, mistaking them for food, which reduces feeding, impairs reproduction, and can transfer particles up the food chain. Because zooplankton form the base of marine food webs, their ecotoxicological responses to microplastics have cascading consequences for ocean ecosystems and human seafood consumers.
Ecotoxicological Consequences of Microplastics in Aquatic Life
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Researchers reviewed how microplastics — tiny plastic particles under 5mm — harm aquatic ecosystems, documenting that fish, invertebrates, and other marine life can ingest them, leading to physical damage, toxic chemical exposure, and disruptions to feeding and reproduction.
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When a large batch of papers lands in the Atlas, we read through it and send a short write-up of what stood out.