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Microplastics ingestion in the ephyra stage of Aurelia sp. triggers acute and behavioral responses
Ecotoxicology and Environmental Safety2019
65 citations
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Score: 45
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Chiara Gambardella,
Elisa Costa,
Elisa Costa,
Elisa Costa,
Francesca Garaventa
Elisa Costa,
Francesca Garaventa
Francesca Garaventa
Elisa Costa,
Verónica Piazza,
Verónica Piazza,
Chiara Gambardella,
Chiara Gambardella,
Chiara Gambardella,
Chiara Gambardella,
Chiara Gambardella,
Chiara Gambardella,
Chiara Gambardella,
Chiara Gambardella,
Chiara Gambardella,
Francesca Garaventa
Elisa Costa,
Elisa Costa,
Chiara Gambardella,
Chiara Gambardella,
Chiara Gambardella,
Verónica Piazza,
Verónica Piazza,
Chiara Gambardella,
Chiara Gambardella,
Chiara Gambardella,
Francesca Garaventa
Francesca Garaventa
Verónica Piazza,
Verónica Piazza,
Chiara Gambardella,
Verónica Piazza,
Elisa Costa,
Francesca Garaventa
Francesca Garaventa
Elisa Costa,
Silvia Lavorano,
Elisa Costa,
Francesca Garaventa
Massimo Vassalli,
Silvia Lavorano,
Francesca Garaventa
Elisa Costa,
Chiara Gambardella,
Chiara Gambardella,
Chiara Gambardella,
Chiara Gambardella,
Verónica Piazza,
Marco Faimali,
Marco Faimali,
Marco Faimali,
Marco Faimali,
Silvia Lavorano,
Francesca Garaventa
Silvia Lavorano,
Verónica Piazza,
Francesca Garaventa
Francesca Garaventa
Marco Faimali,
Elisa Costa,
Marco Faimali,
Marco Faimali,
Marco Faimali,
Verónica Piazza,
Marco Faimali,
Francesca Sbrana,
Francesca Sbrana,
Verónica Piazza,
Silvia Lavorano,
Francesca Garaventa
Silvia Lavorano,
Francesca Garaventa
Elisa Costa,
Francesca Garaventa
Francesca Garaventa
Silvia Lavorano,
Elisa Costa,
Marco Faimali,
Verónica Piazza,
Marco Faimali,
Marco Faimali,
Chiara Gambardella,
Chiara Gambardella,
Francesca Garaventa
Francesca Garaventa
Silvia Lavorano,
Francesca Garaventa
Silvia Lavorano,
Francesca Garaventa
Silvia Lavorano,
Francesca Garaventa
Chiara Gambardella,
Verónica Piazza,
Francesca Sbrana,
Marco Faimali,
Marco Faimali,
Marco Faimali,
Marco Faimali,
Francesca Garaventa
Francesca Garaventa
Francesca Sbrana,
Marco Faimali,
Francesca Garaventa
Marco Faimali,
Francesca Garaventa
Verónica Piazza,
Marco Faimali,
Marco Faimali,
Silvia Lavorano,
Marco Faimali,
Silvia Lavorano,
Marco Faimali,
Francesca Garaventa
Marco Faimali,
Francesca Garaventa
Francesca Garaventa
Francesca Garaventa
Francesca Garaventa
Chiara Gambardella,
Chiara Gambardella,
Marco Faimali,
Silvia Lavorano,
Marco Faimali,
Marco Faimali,
Francesca Garaventa
Marco Faimali,
Marco Faimali,
Francesca Garaventa
Verónica Piazza,
Francesca Garaventa
Francesca Garaventa
Francesca Garaventa
Verónica Piazza,
Francesca Garaventa
Francesca Garaventa
Francesca Garaventa
Marco Faimali,
Marco Faimali,
Marco Faimali,
Francesca Garaventa
Chiara Gambardella,
Francesca Garaventa
Summary
Young jellyfish (Aurelia sp. in the ephyra stage) were shown to ingest microplastics and exhibit acute physiological and behavioral responses, including altered swimming patterns and feeding behavior. This is one of the first studies to demonstrate that microplastic ingestion affects jellyfish at an early life stage, with potential implications for their population dynamics.
For the first time, we report a correspondence between microplastics (MP) ingestion and ecotoxicological effects in gelatinous zooplankton (Cnidarian jellyfish). The ephyra stage of the jellyfish Aurelia sp. was exposed to both environmental and high concentrations of fluorescent 1-4 μm polyethylene MP (0.01-10 mg/L). After 24 and 48 h, MP accumulation, acute (Immobility) and behavioral (Frequency pulsation) endpoints were investigated. MP were detected by confocal and tomographic investigations on gelatinous body and mouth, either attached on the surface or ingested. This interaction was responsible for impairing ephyrae survival and behavior at all tested concentrations after 24 h. Acute and behavioral effects were also related to mechanical disturbance, caused by MP, triggering a loss of radial symmetry. Contaminated ephyrae exposed to clean seawater showed full recovery after 72 h highlighting the organisms without the microspheres, attached on body jellyfish surface around the mouth and lappets. In conclusion, short-term exposure to MP affects ephyrae jellyfish health, impairing both their survival and behavior. Polyethylene MP temporarily affect both Immobility and Frequency of pulsation of Aurelia sp. jellyfish. This study provides a first step towards understanding and clarifying the potential impacts of MP contamination in gelatinous zooplankton.