We can't find the internet
Attempting to reconnect
Something went wrong!
Hang in there while we get back on track
Towards the understanding of the uptake and depuration of microplastics in the ragworm Hediste diversicolor: Field and laboratory study
AI summary Read the abstract
Researchers studied microplastic ingestion by ragworms in the Seine estuary in France, finding plastic particles in both their gut contents and body tissues across multiple seasons. A companion lab experiment helped clarify how these worms take up and clear microplastics from their bodies. The findings confirm that estuarine organisms are regularly exposed to microplastic contamination, though the levels detected were relatively low.
An important number of studies have evaluated the presence of microplastics, particles with a size below 5 mm, in aquatic organisms. Studies have shown that these fragments are widely present in the marine environment, but research on the estuarine ecosystem is still scarce. In this study, two different approaches were used to evaluate the presence and ingestion of plastic particles in the ragworm Hediste diversicolor: a field study for the environmental assessment and a laboratory experiment in controlled condition. For the environmental evaluation, ingestion of microplastics was evaluated in the ragworm H. diversicolor sampled from the mudflats of the Seine estuary (France) during March and June 2017 and 2018, on two locations: S1 and S2, both characterized by high anthropogenic pressures, and for S2 a more influential hydrodynamic component. Ingestion of microplastics was measured in ragworms tissues and in gut content (sediment) after depuration. The number of particles as well as their size, shape and color were reported and compared between sampling period and locations. Results showed the presence of a low number of particles in both worms and gut content. In gut content, 45.6% and 87.58% of samples from site S1 and S2 respectively contained plastic like particles. In worms, 41.7% (S1) and 75.8% (S2) of analysed samples contained plastic like items. The lowest mean number of particles was 0.21 ± 0.31 (S1 in June 2017) in worms' tissues, but 0.80 ± 0.90 (S1 in June 2017) in the gut content and the highest was 1.47 ± 1.41 (S2 in April 2017) while the highest number was 2.55 ± 2.06 (S2 in June 2017) in worms and gut content respectively. The majority of suspected microplastics observed were fibers (66%) and fragments (27%), but films (3.7%) foam (2.1%), and granules (0.2%) were also identified. In addition, the most polymer type observed by Raman spectroscopy was polypropylene. Furthermore, a preliminary study of the ingestion and egestion of fluorescent polyethylene (PE) microbeads in the digestive tract of ragworms was conducted after exposure through water, during 1h at 1.2 × 10 MP/mL. Results showed a rapid turnover of PE microbeads throughout the digestive tract of worms especially after exposure through water. This study revealed that microplastics are ingested by the ragworm H. diversicolor but do not seem to bioaccumulate. More research is needed to measure potential chronic effects of microplastics on physiological parameters of H. diversicolor and potential trophic transfer of microplastics.
More Papers Like This
Accumulation and immunotoxicity of microplastics in the estuarine worm Hediste diversicolor in environmentally relevant conditions of exposure
AI summary Read the abstract
The estuarine ragworm Hediste diversicolor was exposed to polyethylene and polypropylene microplastics through water or sediment at two concentrations, with accumulation confirmed in both exposure routes and immune cell function (phagocytosis activity) significantly reduced at higher concentrations. The study documents immunotoxic effects of environmentally relevant microplastic mixtures in an estuarine worm, expanding evidence beyond marine and freshwater species.
Microplastic accumulation, depuration dynamics and localization in environmental compartments: combination of experimental set ups and field studies
AI summary Read the abstract
Researchers used microcosm experiments to track microplastic accumulation, depuration, and tissue localization in marine organisms under environmentally relevant conditions. The study found that organisms can accumulate and partially depurate microplastics, with particle retention varying by tissue type and particle size.
Hediste diversicolor as a biological model for the study of the effects of nanoplastics
AI summary Read the abstract
Researchers used the marine worm Hediste diversicolor to study the effects of nanoplastics in sediment environments. The worm accumulated nanoplastics and showed biological responses, suggesting these tiny particles can harm benthic invertebrates that play key roles in sediment health.
Effects of Commercially Available Plastics on Estuarine Sediment Dweller Polychaeta Hediste diversicolor
AI summary Read the abstract
Researchers exposed the marine worm Hediste diversicolor to commercially available polypropylene and polyethylene terephthalate microplastics for up to 28 days and assessed behavioral and biochemical responses. They found that the worms did not show behavioral changes or metabolize the plastics, though some enzyme activity was affected. The study suggests that these common types of microplastics do not cause major adverse effects in this sediment-dwelling species at the tested concentrations.
Ingestion of Microplastics by Freshwater Tubifex Worms
AI summary Read the abstract
This study found that Tubifex worms living in the sediments of an urban waterway had ingested microplastic particles, providing one of the first field-based (rather than lab-based) demonstrations of microplastic ingestion by freshwater invertebrates. The finding suggests that sediment-dwelling organisms are exposed to microplastics in real-world polluted environments.
Research digests by email
When a large batch of papers lands in the Atlas, we read through it and send a short write-up of what stood out.