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Understanding the microplastic pollution impact on Chironomus sancticaroli larvae development and emergence
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Researchers studied how PET microplastics affect the development and emergence of Chironomus midge larvae, an important freshwater insect. They found that microplastic exposure altered larval development and reduced successful adult emergence. The study suggests that microplastic pollution in freshwater ecosystems could disrupt the life cycles of aquatic insects, which are vital to food webs and ecosystem health.
Plastic materials are increasingly present in our lives. It is estimated that more than 360 million tonnes of plastics are produced annually worldwide. Particularly, single-use plastics represent an important segment in plastic production. In this context, plastic contamination, and consequently microplastic release, has become a growing concern for aquatic ecosystems. In this study, we investigated the effects of exposure to polyethylene terephthalate (PET) microplastics (<32 μm) on Chironomus sancticaroli larvae. The larvae were exposed to different concentrations of PET particles (0 (control group), 500, and 5,000 particles.kg −1 of dry sediment) for 10 days. Our results demonstrated that C. sancticaroli larvae displayed PET microplastics in their digestive tracts, and the ingestion increased with increasing PET concentrations. Plastic particles in the digestive tract can reduce the energy obtained by larvae feeding and, consequently, impair their development. The adult emergence rate displayed a significant decrease observed at the highest PET concentration compared with the control group. These findings reinforce existing concerns that microplastics, at concentrations currently found in the natural freshwater environments, can impact the development of benthic macroinvertebrates and, consequently, result in an unbalance in the freshwater ecosystems.
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Polyethylene microplastics and substrate availability can affect emergence responses of the freshwater insect Chironomus sancticaroli
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Laboratory experiments exposed larvae of the freshwater insect Chironomus sancticaroli to polyethylene microplastics combined with varying substrate availability, finding that microplastic exposure reduced adult emergence rates and that substrate conditions modified the severity of the effect. The study is among the first to examine microplastic impacts on the emergence stage of tropical freshwater insects.
Ingestion of microplastics by the chironomid Chironomus sancticaroli and effects on the microbiome in the presence of PBDEs
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Researchers exposed the freshwater midge larva Chironomus sancticaroli to microplastics contaminated with flame-retardant PBDEs, finding that the organisms ingested microplastics and experienced effects including altered behavior and increased pollutant body burden — demonstrating that microplastics can serve as vectors for toxic chemical transfer to aquatic invertebrates.
Shedding microplastics: metamorphosis as a potential detoxification mechanism for microplastics in Chironomus riparius
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Researchers exposed midge larvae (Chironomus riparius) to microplastics throughout their life cycle and found that the particles significantly delayed development. Notably, the shed exoskeletons retained far more microplastic particles than the adult insects, suggesting that metamorphosis may serve as a natural mechanism for eliminating ingested microplastics. The findings point to a previously unrecognized route by which freshwater invertebrates can reduce their internal microplastic burden.
Effects of anthropogenic activities on microplastics in deposit-feeders (Diptera: Chironomidae) in an urban river of Taiwan
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Researchers quantified microplastic abundance and types in midge larvae (Chironomidae) from an urban river and found that multiple anthropogenic activities including industrial discharge, agriculture, and residential runoff were associated with elevated microplastic levels in these freshwater deposit-feeders.
Combined effects of microplastics and a pyrethroid on the benthic invertebrate, Chironomus Riparius
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This freshwater study examined combined effects of microplastics and a pyrethroid pesticide on midge larvae (Chironomus riparius), contributing to growing evidence that microplastics in freshwater ecosystems interact with chemical pollutants to produce compounded harmful effects on invertebrates.
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