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Microplastic-mediated transport of PCBs? A depuration study with Daphnia magna
Summary
Researchers tested whether microplastics could help remove PCBs from the water flea Daphnia magna, finding that only one PCB congener was cleared more efficiently with microplastic exposure while most others were unaffected. The study suggests microplastics have limited value as a depuration tool for PCB-contaminated zooplankton under environmentally relevant conditions.
The role of microplastic (MP) as a carrier of persistent organic pollutants (POPs) to aquatic organisms has been a topic of debate. However, the reverse POP transport can occur if relative contaminant concentrations are higher in the organism than in the microplastic. We evaluated the effect of microplastic on the PCB removal in planktonic animals by exposing the cladoceran Daphnia magna with a high body burden of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCB 18, As the endpoints, we used PCB body burden, growth, fecundity and elemental composition (%C and %N) of the daphnids. In the daphnids fed with microplastic, PCB 209 was removed more efficiently, while there was no difference for any other congeners and PCBs between the microplastic-exposed and control animals. Also, higher sizespecific egg production in the animals carrying PCB and receiving food mixed with microplastics was observed. However, the effects of the microplastic exposure on fecundity were of low biological significance, because the PCB body burden and the microplastic exposure concentrations were greatly exceeding environmentally relevant concentrations.