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Acute and multigenerational toxicity of polylactic acid microplastics on a copepod bioindicator
Summary
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.