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Effect of microplastic particles on the population growth rate and clearance rate of selected ciliates (Protista, Ciliophora)
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Researchers exposed three species of freshwater ciliates to polystyrene microplastic beads and found that the effects on population growth varied by species and were strongly dependent on microplastic concentration. The organisms readily ingested the plastic particles, with uptake rates influenced by particle size, concentration, and exposure time. The study suggests that microplastics can disrupt microbial food webs by interfering with single-celled organisms at the base of aquatic ecosystems.
Microplastics (MPs), due to their micro size, which overlaps with the typical food size of various aquatic organisms, can be ingested and move up the food chain, accumulating in the bodies of organisms at higher trophic levels. Few studies have focused on the uptake of MPs by ciliates, which are an important element of the microbial cycle. Three different ciliate species were used in this study: Blepharisma japonicum, Euplotes sp., and Spirostomum teres, as well as polystyrene beads with diameters of 1 and 2 µm at two concentrations (10 and 10 beads × mL). The results of the experiments showed that MPs have a variable, species-specific effect on the population growth rate of ciliates, which is directly dependent on their concentration in the environment (P < 0.01). It was also observed that the number of MPs ingested changed over time depending on their concentration and size. On average, the highest number of ingested MPs (883.11 ± 521.47) was recorded at 60 min of exposure to a low concentration of small beads in B. japonicum. The lowest number of beads was ingested after 5 min of exposure to a low concentration of large beads in the same species. The rate of MP uptake by the ciliate species was significantly dependent on their concentration, exposure time, and size (P < 0.001). The highest clearance rate was observed in the fifth minute of the experiment in the environment with the lowest MP concentration.
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Researchers exposed three species of freshwater ciliates to polystyrene microbeads (1 and 2 µm) at two concentrations and found species-specific, concentration-dependent effects on population growth and ingestion rates. Ciliates are a key component of the microbial food web, and their ingestion of microplastics means these particles can be transferred to higher trophic levels even through microscopic organisms. The variable responses across species underscore the need for multi-species assessments when evaluating microplastic ecotoxicity.
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