Microplastics increase the toxicity of mercury, chlorpyrifos and fluoranthene to mussel and sea urchin embryos
Environmental Pollution2023
16 citations
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Score: 55
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Juan Santos-Echeandía,
Juan Bellas,
Juan Bellas,
Juan Bellas,
Juan Bellas,
Leticia Vidal-Liñán
Diego Rial,
Juan Santos-Echeandía,
Víctor M. León,
Juan Bellas,
Juan Bellas,
Juan Antonio Campillo,
Leticia Vidal-Liñán
Leticia Vidal-Liñán
Juan Bellas,
Juan Antonio Campillo,
Juan Bellas,
Leticia Vidal-Liñán
Leticia Vidal-Liñán
Diego Rial,
Marina Albentosa,
Marina Albentosa,
Marina Albentosa,
Juan Santos-Echeandía,
Juan Santos-Echeandía,
Juan Santos-Echeandía,
Juan Santos-Echeandía,
Juan Santos-Echeandía,
Juan Santos-Echeandía,
Juan Bellas,
Juan Bellas,
Juan Bellas,
Juan Bellas,
Juan Bellas,
Juan Bellas,
Leticia Vidal-Liñán
Leticia Vidal-Liñán
Juan Antonio Campillo,
Juan Antonio Campillo,
Víctor M. León,
Víctor M. León,
Juan Santos-Echeandía,
Juan Santos-Echeandía,
Juan Santos-Echeandía,
Juan Santos-Echeandía,
Juan Santos-Echeandía,
Juan Santos-Echeandía,
Marina Albentosa,
Marina Albentosa,
Diego Rial,
Juan Bellas,
Juan Bellas,
Víctor M. León,
Juan Antonio Campillo,
Juan Antonio Campillo,
Víctor M. León,
Juan Santos-Echeandía,
Juan Antonio Campillo,
Juan Antonio Campillo,
Juan Antonio Campillo,
Leticia Vidal-Liñán
Víctor M. León,
Juan Bellas,
Juan Bellas,
Juan Bellas,
Marina Albentosa,
Marina Albentosa,
Marina Albentosa,
Leticia Vidal-Liñán
Marina Albentosa,
Juan Antonio Campillo,
Juan Bellas,
Juan Bellas,
Juan Bellas,
Juan Bellas,
Marina Albentosa,
Marina Albentosa,
Juan Santos-Echeandía,
Víctor M. León,
Víctor M. León,
Juan Antonio Campillo,
Juan Bellas,
Víctor M. León,
Leticia Vidal-Liñán
Víctor M. León,
Juan Bellas,
Leticia Vidal-Liñán
Víctor M. León,
Juan Bellas,
Juan Antonio Campillo,
Marina Albentosa,
Juan Santos-Echeandía,
Juan Santos-Echeandía,
Víctor M. León,
Víctor M. León,
Marina Albentosa,
Víctor M. León,
Marina Albentosa,
Marina Albentosa,
Juan Bellas,
Marina Albentosa,
Víctor M. León,
Víctor M. León,
Diego Rial,
Juan Antonio Campillo,
Víctor M. León,
Marina Albentosa,
Juan Bellas,
Juan Antonio Campillo,
Juan Antonio Campillo,
Juan Bellas,
Diego Rial,
Juan Antonio Campillo,
Juan Antonio Campillo,
Juan Bellas,
Marina Albentosa,
Marina Albentosa,
Diego Rial,
Víctor M. León,
Víctor M. León,
Leticia Vidal-Liñán
Summary
Researchers found that microplastics significantly increased the toxicity of mercury, chlorpyrifos, and fluoranthene to mussel and sea urchin embryos compared to these pollutants alone. When pollutants were pre-loaded onto microplastics, the particles acted as delivery vehicles, releasing harmful chemicals during digestion. The study provides evidence that microplastics in the ocean can amplify the harmful effects of existing chemical pollution on marine life.
The objective of this study was to determine whether and to what extent microplastics (MPs) enhance the toxicity of pollutants as well as whether pollutant-loaded MPs act as relevant vectors of chemical pollutants. With this aim, the toxicity for mussel and sea urchin embryos of: 1) three dissolved pollutants (Pol): chlorpyrifos (CPF), fluoranthene (FLT) and mercury (Hg); 2) their mixture with Microplastics (MP + Pol); and 3) pollutant-loaded MPs (MP<sub>Pol</sub>), was assessed. Analyses of CPF, FLT and Hg were also performed to evaluate the transfer among dissolved and particulate phases. In general, the 'MP + Pol' treatments were more toxic as 48-h EC<sub>50</sub> (μg/L) than the 'Pol' treatments for sea urchin or mussel. The 48-h and 120-h EC<sub>50</sub>s (μg/L) for sea urchin showed little variation for CPF and MP + CPF, and no clear pattern was found for FLT and MP + FLT. The performed chemical analysis in the MP<sub>Pol</sub> tests indicated that desorption was the main route to explain the observed toxicity of Hg and a relevant route for CPF and FLT. This study contributes to improve the knowledge about the interactions between MPs and chemical pollutants, which is fundamental for a more realistic ecological risk assessment in aquatic ecosystems.