We can't find the internet
Attempting to reconnect
Something went wrong!
Hang in there while we get back on track
Biochemical and physiological responses of the water flea Moina macrocopa to microplastics: a multigenerational study
AI summary Read the abstract
Researchers exposed water fleas to polystyrene microplastics across three generations and found that higher concentrations reduced survival, slowed growth, and triggered oxidative stress that worsened over time, suggesting that prolonged microplastic exposure could threaten freshwater invertebrate populations.
Numerous studies have measured the harmful effects of microplastics (MPs) and nanoplastics (NPs) (e.g., ingestion, temporal bioconcentration, acute and chronic responses, and the trophic transfer from primary producers to consumers) on aquatic invertebrates due to their ubiquitous and persistent nature in waterbodies. An experimental water flea model, Moina macrocopa, was exposed to different concentrations (0.001, 0.01, 0.1, 1, 10, 50, 100, and 500 μg L−1) of polystyrene microbeads (1 μm). The effects of polystyrene microbeads were investigated by measurement of multigenerational survival rate, growth, and reproduction parameters with further analysis of biochemical responses across three generations. Exposure to polystyrene microbeads resulted in clear ingestion and egestion in feces. The survival rate was significantly decreased by relatively higher concentrations of polystyrene microbeads compared to control groups. Multigenerational experiments across three generations revealed that exposure to relatively higher concentrations of polystyrene microbeads reduced the growth rate with longer intermolt durations compared to that in the first generation of each group, but similar patterns were observed in reproduction parameters between generations. Initial exposure to polystyrene microbeads resulted in oxidative stress and the induction of antioxidant defense, while 14-day exposure significantly inhibited the antioxidant response. Our results suggest that the detrimental effects of prolonged exposure to polystyrene microbeads would be concentration dependent and harmful for the maintenance of water flea populations by induction of oxidative stress and failure in antioxidant defense.
More Papers Like This
Impact of Microplastics on Reproductive and Physiological Aspects of Aquatic Inhabitants
AI summary Read the abstract
Researchers reviewed how microplastic exposure affects reproduction and physiology in freshwater aquatic organisms, finding that plastic particles disrupt hormonal signaling, reduce fertility, and impair development across a range of sensitive freshwater species.
Ecotoxicological Consequences of Microplastics in Aquatic Life
AI summary Read the abstract
Researchers reviewed how microplastics — tiny plastic particles under 5mm — harm aquatic ecosystems, documenting that fish, invertebrates, and other marine life can ingest them, leading to physical damage, toxic chemical exposure, and disruptions to feeding and reproduction.
Ecotoxicological Effects of Microplastics in Marine Zooplankton
AI summary Read the abstract
Marine zooplankton ingest microplastics, mistaking them for food, which reduces feeding, impairs reproduction, and can transfer particles up the food chain. Because zooplankton form the base of marine food webs, their ecotoxicological responses to microplastics have cascading consequences for ocean ecosystems and human seafood consumers.
Microplastic Contamination in Aquatic Organisms: An Ecotoxicological Perspective
AI summary Read the abstract
"This ecotoxicological review examined how microplastics accumulate in aquatic organisms across multiple trophic levels, documenting impacts on physiology, reproduction, and behavior, as well as the transport of associated chemical contaminants through food webs. Because humans sit at the top of aquatic food chains, the bioaccumulation dynamics described here translate directly into dietary microplastic exposure, making ecotoxicological endpoints in fish and shellfish key indicators of human health risk."
Microplastic Toxicity in Aquatic Organisms and Aquatic Ecosystems: a Review
AI summary Read the abstract
Researchers reviewed how microplastics move through aquatic food webs, finding evidence that these particles accumulate across trophic levels, but noted that most toxicity studies are conducted in labs rather than real ecosystems, leaving major gaps in understanding the true ecological and human health risks.
Research digests by email
When a large batch of papers lands in the Atlas, we read through it and send a short write-up of what stood out.