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A Glow before Darkness: Toxicity of Glitter Particles to Marine Invertebrates
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Researchers evaluated the toxicity of glitter microplastic particles on marine invertebrate embryos, finding that both green and white glitter types caused developmental abnormalities in sea urchins and mussels, partly due to chemical leachates.
Glitter particles are considered a model of microplastics, which are used in a wide range of products. In this study, we evaluated the toxicity of two types of glitter (green and white, with distinct chemical compositions) dispersions on the embryonic development of the sea urchins Echinometra lucunte, Arbacia lixula, and the mussel Perna perna. The Toxicity Identification and Evaluation (TIE) approach was used to identify possible chemicals related to toxicity. Glitter dispersions were prepared using 0.05% ethanol. The tested dispersions ranged from 50 to 500 mg/L. The white glitter was composed of a vinyl chloride-methyl acrylate copolymer. The effective concentrations of green glitter to 50% embryos (EC50) were 246.1 (235.8-256.4) mg/L to A. lixula, 23.0 (20.2-25.8) mg/L to P. perna and 105.9 (61.2-150.2) mg/L, whereas the EC50 of white glitter to E. lucunter was 272.2 (261.5-282.9) mg/L. The EC50 for P. perna could not be calculated; however, the lowest effect concentration was 10 mg/L-that was the lowest concentration tested. The filtered suspension of green glitter had Ag levels exceeding the legal standards for marine waters. TIE showed that metals, volatiles, and oxidant compounds contribute to toxicity. The results showed that glitter may adversely affect marine organisms; however, further studies are necessary to determine its environmental risks.
More Papers Like This
A Glow Before Darkness: Toxicity of Glitter Particles to Marine Invertebrates
AI summary Read the abstract
Researchers tested the toxicity of glitter particles — a model microplastic made from plastic film — on the embryos of three marine invertebrate species: two sea urchin species and a mussel. Both green and white glitter caused dose-dependent developmental harm, with the mussel Perna perna being the most sensitive. The findings demonstrate that glitter particles used in cosmetics and crafts can be genuinely harmful to marine invertebrates, strengthening the case for restricting microplastic-based glitter in consumer products.
Sparkling plastic: Effects of exposure to glitter on the Mediterranean mussel Mytilus galloprovincialis
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Researchers examined the effects of glitter microplastics on Mediterranean mussels and found that smaller particles were retained more in the digestive tract and induced greater oxidative stress, while crumbled glitter fragments amplified toxic responses.
Ecotoxicological Assessment of “Glitter” Leachates in Aquatic Ecosystems: An Integrated Approach
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Leachates from nine types of commercial glitter were tested for toxicity in freshwater and saltwater model organisms across three soak periods up to 180 days. Photosynthesizing primary producers were most sensitive to glitter leachates, with some formulations causing significant growth inhibition, raising ecotoxicological concerns about this largely overlooked microplastic category.
Stealth microplastics pollutants: Toxicological evaluation of polyethylene terephthalate-based glitters on the microalga Desmodesmus sp. and its color effect
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Researchers found that PET-based glitter microplastics and their chemical leachates are toxic to the microalga Desmodesmus, with toxicity varying by glitter color, highlighting glitter as an overlooked source of primary microplastic pollution.
Developmental Toxicity of Microplastic Leachates on Marine Larvae
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Chemical leachates from microplastics — the chemicals that wash off plastic surfaces — caused developmental abnormalities in marine sea urchin and bryozoan larvae at environmentally relevant concentrations. The findings suggest that chemical leaching from plastics may be as harmful as the particles themselves for marine organisms in early life stages.
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