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Microplastic fragmentation by rotifers in aquatic ecosystems contributes to global nanoplastic pollution

Nature Nanotechnology 2023 178 citations ? Citation count from OpenAlex, updated daily. May differ slightly from the publisher's own count. Score: 60 ? 0–100 AI score estimating relevance to the microplastics field. Papers below 30 are filtered from public browse.

Xia Liu, Zhenyu Wang, Xia Liu, Ruyi Lan, Jian Zhao, Jian Zhao, Yanhui Dai, Runze Xue, Yanhui Dai, Runze Xue, Tongtao Yue, Tongtao Yue, Jian Zhao, Tongtao Yue, Ruyi Lan, Jian Zhao, Ruyi Lan, Zhenyu Wang, Jian Zhao, Zhuomiao Liu, Ruyi Lan, Jian Zhao, Zhuomiao Liu, Xia Liu, Ruyi Lan, Tongtao Yue, Ruyi Lan, Baoshan Xing Runze Xue, Jian Zhao, Wenli Su, Tongtao Yue, Zhenyu Wang, Zhuomiao Liu, Zhenyu Wang, Zhuomiao Liu, Zhenyu Wang, Zhenyu Wang, Zhenyu Wang, Runze Xue, Xia Liu, Runze Xue, Jian Zhao, Jian Zhao, Jian Zhao, Zhuomiao Liu, Baoshan Xing Baoshan Xing Zhuomiao Liu, Baoshan Xing Wenli Su, Baoshan Xing Baoshan Xing Baoshan Xing Zhuomiao Liu, Baoshan Xing Runze Xue, Jian Zhao, Yanhui Dai, Jian Zhao, Baoshan Xing Baoshan Xing Zhenyu Wang, Zhenyu Wang, Jian Zhao, Wenli Su, Jian Zhao, Wenli Su, Wenli Su, Zhenyu Wang, Wenli Su, Baoshan Xing Baoshan Xing Baoshan Xing Jian Zhao, Wenli Su, Ruyi Lan, Baoshan Xing Baoshan Xing Wenli Su, Wenli Su, Dong‐Po Song, Dong‐Po Song, Xia Liu, Baoshan Xing Baoshan Xing Baoshan Xing Zhenyu Wang, Zhenyu Wang, Zhenyu Wang, Tongtao Yue, Zhenyu Wang, Zhenyu Wang, Baoshan Xing Zhenyu Wang, Zhenyu Wang, Jian Zhao, Baoshan Xing Zhuomiao Liu, Wenli Su, Xia Liu, Zhenyu Wang, Zhenyu Wang, Ruyi Lan, Baoshan Xing Zhenyu Wang, Zhenyu Wang, Zhenyu Wang, Baoshan Xing Runze Xue, Runze Xue, Zhuomiao Liu, Runze Xue, Runze Xue, Jian Zhao, Baoshan Xing Baoshan Xing Yanhui Dai, Zhenyu Wang, Baoshan Xing Baoshan Xing Yanhui Dai, Baoshan Xing Zhuomiao Liu, Baoshan Xing Yanhui Dai, Baoshan Xing Baoshan Xing Jian Zhao, Baoshan Xing Zhenyu Wang, Zhenyu Wang, Tongtao Yue, Zhenyu Wang, Zhenyu Wang, Tongtao Yue, Yanhui Dai, Zhenyu Wang, Baoshan Xing Yanhui Dai, Baoshan Xing Zhuomiao Liu, Zhuomiao Liu, Zhuomiao Liu, Baoshan Xing Baoshan Xing Baoshan Xing Baoshan Xing Baoshan Xing Baoshan Xing Baoshan Xing Baoshan Xing Zhenyu Wang, Zhenyu Wang, Zhenyu Wang, Zhenyu Wang, Jian Zhao, Jian Zhao, Jian Zhao, Wenli Su, Yanhui Dai, Tongtao Yue, Tongtao Yue, Tongtao Yue, Tongtao Yue, Xia Liu, Zhuomiao Liu, Zhuomiao Liu, Zhuomiao Liu, Wenli Su, Zhuomiao Liu, Baoshan Xing Zhenyu Wang, Yanhui Dai, Zhenyu Wang, Jian Zhao, Tongtao Yue, Tongtao Yue, Baoshan Xing Jian Zhao, Tongtao Yue, Jian Zhao, Jian Zhao, Zhenyu Wang, Zhenyu Wang, Jian Zhao, Baoshan Xing Zhenyu Wang, Baoshan Xing Xia Liu, Xia Liu, Baoshan Xing Zhuomiao Liu, Dong‐Po Song, Zhuomiao Liu, Yanhui Dai, Yanhui Dai, Yanhui Dai, Baoshan Xing Tongtao Yue, Baoshan Xing Baoshan Xing Jian Zhao, Zhuomiao Liu, Zhuomiao Liu, Baoshan Xing Baoshan Xing Baoshan Xing Jian Zhao, Zhenyu Wang, Zhuomiao Liu, Jian Zhao, Tongtao Yue, Zhuomiao Liu, Tongtao Yue, Yanhui Dai, Jian Zhao, Tongtao Yue, Jian Zhao, Yanhui Dai, Jian Zhao, Jian Zhao, Jian Zhao, Zhenyu Wang, Yanhui Dai, Tongtao Yue, Zhenyu Wang, Tongtao Yue, Zhenyu Wang, Xia Liu, Baoshan Xing Baoshan Xing Zhuomiao Liu, Baoshan Xing Baoshan Xing Zhuomiao Liu, Jian Zhao, Baoshan Xing Baoshan Xing Yanhui Dai, Zhenyu Wang, Tongtao Yue, Baoshan Xing Baoshan Xing Baoshan Xing Yanhui Dai, Jian Zhao, Tongtao Yue, Tongtao Yue, Jian Zhao, Zhenyu Wang, Jian Zhao, Baoshan Xing

Summary

Scientists discovered that rotifers, tiny zooplankton found in water bodies worldwide, grind microplastics into nanoplastics during feeding, generating over 34,000 submicron particles per animal per day. Both marine and freshwater rotifers could fragment multiple plastic types, including polyethylene and polystyrene. This finding reveals a previously unknown biological pathway that is constantly converting microplastics into even smaller and potentially more dangerous nanoplastics in water systems globally.

Polymers

PE PS

Models

Invertebrate other

Study Type Environmental

The role of aquatic organisms in the biological fragmentation of microplastics and their contribution to global nanoplastic pollution are poorly understood. Here we present a biological fragmentation pathway that generates nanoplastics during the ingestion of microplastics by rotifers, a commonly found and globally distributed surface water zooplankton relevant for nutrient recycling. Both marine and freshwater rotifers could rapidly grind polystyrene, polyethylene and photo-aged microplastics, thus releasing smaller particulates during ingestion. Nanoindentation studies of the trophi of the rotifer chitinous mastax revealed a Young's modulus of 1.46 GPa, which was higher than the 0.79 GPa for polystyrene microparticles, suggesting a fragmentation mechanism through grinding the edges of microplastics. Marine and freshwater rotifers generated over 3.48 × 10 and 3.66 × 10 submicrometre particles per rotifer in a day, respectively, from photo-aged microplastics. Our data suggest the ubiquitous occurrence of microplastic fragmentation by different rotifer species in natural aquatic environments of both primary and secondary microplastics of various polymer compositions and provide previously unidentified insights into the fate of microplastics and the source of nanoplastics in global surface waters.

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