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Microplastics as a Vector for Exposure to Hydrophobic Organic Chemicals in Fish: A Comparison of Two Polymers and Silica Particles Spiked With Three Model Compounds
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Three-spined sticklebacks fed microplastic-contaminated diets showed measurable transfer of hydrophobic chemicals (including an estrogen mimic, a pesticide, and a PAH) from the plastics into fish tissues, though transfer rates were low. The study confirms that ingested microplastics can act as vectors for chemical contaminants in fish, even if the overall exposure remains modest.
The role of microplastics as chemical vectors delivering environmental contaminants into biota has been proposed, but their environmental relevance remains an issue of a debate. In this paper we compared the propensity and relative importance of synthetic polymer microparticles (glassy polystyrene (PS) and rubbery polyethylene (PE)) and silica glass particles (SG) to act as vectors for hydrophobic organic chemicals (HOCs) into fish after ingestion. Particles were spiked with three HOCs (17α-ethinylestradiol, chlorpyrifos and benzo(α)pyrene), which differ in hydrophobicity and induce well-known biomarker responses. Three-spined stickleback were exposed to 8 different diets: control diets (1), diets with non-spiked particles (2-4), diets containing a mixture of particles spiked with 3 model contaminants (5-7) and, finally, diets loaded with only the chemical mixture (8), for 14 days. Chemical sorption onto the particles was quantified and chemical transfer into the fish was investigated via biomarkers (CYP1a, ERα, VTG and AChE) in fish intestine, liver and brain and quantification of HOCs in fish muscle. Results demonstrated particle-mediated chemical transfer of moderately hydrophobic contaminants into fish. While PS and PE particles mediated higher chemical transfer and tissue accumulation of 17α-ethinylestradiol and chlorpyrifos than SG, the overall chemical transfer was found to be very low. The present work suggested that chemical sorption, desorption and subsequent transfer of chemicals in vivo depends on multiple interconnected factors, including physicochemical properties of particles and contaminants, as well as toxicokinetic and toxicodynamic interactions. The biomarker approach was, however, suboptimal for assessing chemical transfer when addressing particle-associated chemical mixtures.
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Estimating microplastic-bound intake of hydrophobic organic chemicals by fish using measured desorption rates to artificial gut fluid
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Desorption rates of five hydrophobic organic chemicals (HCHs, PeCB, HeCB) from polyethylene microplastics into artificial gut fluid were measured and used in Monte Carlo simulations to estimate the fraction of chemical intake from MP ingestion by fish, finding that MP-mediated intake was less than 1% of total dietary uptake for all compounds. The study provides a quantitative framework for assessing when microplastics are and are not meaningful vectors for chemical contamination in fish.
Microplastic vector effects: are fish at risk when exposed via the trophic chain?
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Researchers exposed three-spined sticklebacks to polyethylene microplastics via food chain transfer (prey ingestion) for one month and measured biochemical and molecular effects. While the microplastics were transferred through the trophic chain, chemical toxicity was not amplified, suggesting that trophic transfer alone may not substantially increase the chemical risk from microplastics in this species.
Microplastics as vectors for environmental contaminants: Exploring sorption, desorption, and transfer to biota
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This review explores how microplastics interact with hydrophobic organic chemicals in aquatic environments, examining the processes of chemical sorption onto and desorption from plastic particles. Researchers discuss the factors that influence whether microplastics act as significant carriers of environmental contaminants into living organisms compared to natural pathways. Understanding these processes is essential for accurately assessing the real-world risk that microplastics pose as chemical transport vehicles.
Influence of microplastics on the bioconcentration of organic contaminants in fish: Is the “Trojan horse” effect a matter of concern?
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Researchers tested whether microplastic ingestion increases the bioconcentration of hydrophobic organic chemicals in zebrafish, examining the so-called 'Trojan horse' effect. They found that exposure to contaminated polyethylene microplastics did not significantly increase chemical accumulation in fish compared to waterborne exposure alone. The study suggests that for these chemicals, direct water exposure remains the dominant uptake pathway, and the microplastic carrier effect may be less concerning than previously thought.
Hydrophobic organic contaminants are not linked to microplastic uptake in Baltic Sea herring
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This study examined whether hydrophobic organic contaminant (HOC) levels in Baltic Sea herring were linked to the amount of microplastics in their digestive tracts, finding no such link. The results challenge the assumption that microplastics are a major vector for HOC exposure in wild fish under real-world conditions.
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