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Effect of microplastic particles on viability of the selected ciliated protozoa
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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.
Abstract Microplastics (MPs) due to their microsize, 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 the study: Blepharisma japonicum, Euplotes sp. and Spirostomum teres, and two types of polystyrene beads with a diameters of 1 and 2 µm in two concentrations (106 and 107 beads × mL− 1). The results of the experiments showed that microplastics have a variable, species-specific effect on the population growth rate of ciliates, which is directly dependent on their density in the environment (p < 0.01). It was also observed that the number of MPs ingested changed over time, depending on their density and size. On average, the highest number of ingested MPs (883.11 ± 521.47) was recorded after 60 min exposure to a low concentration of smaller beads in B. japonicum. The lowest number of beads was observed after 5 min exposure to a low concentration of larger beads in the same species. The rate of uptake of MPs by ciliate species was significantly dependent on their density, exposure time and size (p < 0.001). The highest clearance rate was observed in ciliates shortly after the start of the experiments in the environment with the lowest density of MPs.
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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.
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This review examines how freshwater ciliates, tiny single-celled organisms that are a crucial part of aquatic food chains, interact with microplastics and nanoplastics. These organisms readily ingest plastic particles, which can cause cellular and molecular damage and lead to bioaccumulation up the food chain. Since ciliates are a key link between bacteria and larger organisms, their contamination with microplastics could ultimately transfer plastic particles to fish and other animals that humans consume.
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