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Accumulation and damage of polyethylene-microplastics to the digestive system of juvenile Litopenaeus vannamei shrimp exposed through feed
Summary
Researchers fed juvenile Pacific white shrimp diets containing polyethylene microplastics at varying concentrations for 28 days. While survival and growth were not affected, microplastics accumulated in the digestive system and caused tissue damage to the hepatopancreas and intestine, suggesting that even without visible growth effects, microplastic ingestion can cause internal harm to commercially important crustacean species.
While microplastics (MPs) are widely dispersed throughout the marine environment, the impacts of their ingestion by marine organisms remain unclear and poorly understood. This study evaluated the effects on the survival, growth, accumulation, and tissue damage of juvenile Litopenaeus vannamei shrimp exposed to polyethylene microspheres (PE-MPs; 53-63 μm) via feed for 28 days in a concentration gradient of experimental diets (0, 30, 75, and 150 mg PE-MPs/kg feed). The ingestion of PE-MPs did not affect shrimp survival and growth, and no accumulation was observed in gills, muscle, or exoskeleton. However, at 150 mg of PE-MPs/kg, the gastrointestinal tract (GT) and hepatopancreas (HP) showed the highest accumulation of MPs (56.1 ± 9.2 and 4.6 ± 0.6 PE-MPs/g, respectively). Regarding tissue damage, alterations were observed in the HP, midgut, and hindgut; the histopathological index was higher (1.6 ± 0.4) in organisms fed the 150 mg PE-MPs/kg diet compared to the control diet. Although the concentrations of PE-MPs used in the diets of shrimp did not decrease their biological efficiency, they did cause histological damage in the digestive system of this species. Therefore, further assessments should be considered regarding polymer types, shapes, aging degrees, and exposure times.