We can't find the internet
Attempting to reconnect
Something went wrong!
Hang in there while we get back on track
Uptake of plastic microbeads by ciliate Paramecium aurelia
Summary
This study demonstrated that the single-celled ciliate Paramecium aurelia ingests polystyrene microbeads, with particle uptake depending on concentration and exposure time. Even single-celled protists that are foundational to aquatic food webs can take up microplastics, potentially concentrating particles that are then transferred to organisms that feed on them.
Microplastics (MPs) are small fraction of plastics that are less than 5 mm in length. They are bountiful and widespread pollutants in the aquatic environment. A wide range of organisms which play an important role in the food web, ingest microplastic particles and transfer them to the higher trophic levels. In this work, ingestion of fluorescent polystyrene beads 2 µm of diameter by ciliated protozoa Paramecium aurelia in different concentrations and times of exposure was studied. We studied also the ingestion and clearance rate as well as formation of food vacuoles. The highest uptake of beads by ciliates reached 1047.2 ± 414.46 particles after 10 min of incubation. Food vacuoles formation reflected the ingestion rate of P. aurelia, which increased at higher beads concentration up to the10th minute of incubation and decreased afterwards. On the contrary, the clearance rate persisted to be higher at low concentration. These findings showed that maximum capacity of microplastics ingestion by paramecia depended on beads concentration and on time of exposure.
Sign in to start a discussion.
More Papers Like This
Uptake and accumulation of microplastic particles by two freshwater ciliates isolated from a local river in South Africa
Researchers found that two freshwater ciliates isolated from a South African river — identified as Paramecium and Tetrahymena — were capable of ingesting plain and fluorescently-labeled polystyrene microspheres. This demonstrates that bacterivorous protists can take up microplastics, with implications for trophic transfer in freshwater food webs.
Effect of microplastic particles on the population growth rate and clearance rate of selected ciliates (Protista, Ciliophora)
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.
Effect of microplastic particles on viability of the selected ciliated protozoa
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.
Microplastic ingestion by an aquatic ciliate: Functional response, modulation, and reduced population growth
Researchers exposed a freshwater ciliate to varying microplastic concentrations and found that uptake followed a saturating feeding pattern, with a maximum rate of 22 particles per individual per hour. Interestingly, microplastic uptake decreased over time as egested particles aggregated into clumps too large for re-consumption, though ciliate population growth still declined by 43% across the concentration range. The study demonstrates that single-celled organisms can play a meaningful role in microplastic fate in freshwater environments while also being harmed by the exposure.
Size dependent uptake and trophic transfer of polystyrene microplastics in unicellular freshwater eukaryotes
Researchers demonstrated that single-celled freshwater organisms can take in polystyrene microplastics and pass them up the food chain through predator-prey interactions. The size of the microplastic determined which organisms could ingest it, and some particles remained inside cells for up to 14 days. This is important because it shows microplastics enter the food web at the very lowest level, meaning contamination can accumulate through every step up to fish and eventually to humans.