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The contribution of additives to microplastic aquatic toxicity - A testing approach with model additives on selected aquatic organisms
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Researchers developed a systematic methodology to separate the physical effects of microplastic particles from the chemical effects of their embedded additives on aquatic organisms. The study found that polyethylene microplastics alone showed no significant toxicity to water fleas or protozoa, while the additive zinc oxide was toxic independently. Artificial aging changed how much additive was released from the plastics but did not change the overall toxicity to the tested organisms.
The challenge in assessing the overall toxicity of micro- and nanoplastics (MNP) lies in the complexity and variety of additives and their release, which is additionally affected by ageing processes of MNP in the environment. Our study aims to develop further the methodology to differentiate between the physical (particle-related) and chemical effects of MNP (contribution of additives) on the overall toxicity of MNPs. A testing methodology is presented that assesses the effects of well-defined, additive-loaded MNPs, pristine additive-free MNPs, and additives separately. This approach is complemented by a comprehensive characterization of additive release, while also considering ageing processes. The results indicated that low-density polyethylene (LDPE) alone or with additives, independent of ageing regime, exhibited no significant toxic effects on two aquatic test organisms, cladoceran Daphnia magna and protozoan Tetrahymena thermophila. The inorganic additive ZnO alone caused immobility in D. magna and demonstrated cytotoxicity in T. Thermophila. In contrast, the organic benzotriazole derivative (Lubio® AS17) and the hindered amine light stabiliser (Lubio® UV18) as additives showed no cytotoxic effect in T. Thermophila, and low toxicity was observed in daphnids. Artificial ageing showed an impact on the quantity of leached/released additives, but not on the toxicity of MNPs to the tested organisms. In conclusion, our study provides a systematic approach to MNP design with known amounts of additives, their characterisation and ecotoxicological testing, which could be a basis for designing safer plastic materials in the future.
More Papers Like This
The contribution of additives to microplastic aquatic toxicity – A testing approach with model additives on selected aquatic organisms
AI summary Read the abstract
Researchers developed a systematic testing approach to distinguish between the physical effects of microplastic particles and the chemical effects of their additives on aquatic organisms. The study found that polyethylene microplastics alone showed no significant toxicity to water fleas or protozoa, but the inorganic additive zinc oxide was toxic on its own. The findings suggest that the additives embedded in plastics, rather than the plastic particles themselves, may be the primary drivers of toxicity in some cases.
Contribution of additive-related effects to microplastics toxicity for aquatic organisms: a case study with model metal (ZnO) and organic additives (Lubio) and LDPE
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Researchers produced well-defined LDPE microplastic particles loaded with model additives (ZnO nanoparticles and a commercial Lubio antiaging system) to isolate and quantify additive-related contributions to microplastic toxicity in Daphnia magna and Tetrahymena thermophila. Results showed ZnO nanoparticles were acutely toxic while additive-free and Lubio-loaded particles demonstrated differing toxicity profiles, providing a framework for disentangling polymer versus additive effects in ecotoxicity studies.
Aquatic toxicity of chemically defined microplastics can be explained by functional additives
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Researchers manufactured microplastics from four polymer types with precisely defined chemical compositions, including different additive formulations, and tested their toxicity to aquatic organisms. They found that the toxic effects of microplastics could largely be explained by the functional additives they contained rather than the base polymer itself. The study suggests that the chemical additives in plastics, not just the plastic material, are a primary driver of microplastic toxicity in aquatic environments.
Extractable additives in microplastics: A hidden threat to soil fauna
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Researchers compared the toxic effects of five types of microplastics and their extractable chemical additives on a common soil worm species. They found that the additives leaching from the plastics were the primary driver of toxicity, reducing worm growth and survival and disrupting gut microbiota. The study indicates that the chemical additives embedded in microplastics may pose a greater threat to soil organisms than the plastic particles themselves.
Disentangling the influence of microplastics and their chemical additives on a model detritivore system
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Researchers disentangled the physical and chemical effects of microplastics on freshwater detritivores, finding that chemical additives leaching from plastics contributed more to negative impacts on organisms than the polymer particles themselves.
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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.