Uptake of differently sized microplastics in gut passage by different species of Daphnia

Microplastic encapsulation capacity of a cladoceran zooplankton Daphnia magna

Chronic and Acute Water-Soluble Microplastics Uptake and Effects on Growth and Reproduction of Daphnia magna

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Researchers found that two water-soluble microplastics — polyvinyl alcohol and polymethacrylic acid — harm the water flea Daphnia magna, reducing lifespan, reproduction, and causing physical deformities, raising concerns about these less-studied plastic types that dissolve in water rather than forming visible particles.

Are Daphnia similis Playing a Significant Role in Microplastic Biofragmentation?

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Researchers exposing the freshwater microcrustacean Daphnia similis to polystyrene microspheres found that the organisms reduced particle size by nearly 33% over six days through biofragmentation, demonstrating that zooplankton ingestion is an underappreciated pathway for breaking down microplastics into smaller particles.

Microplastic Transformation and Toxicity Effects on Daphnia magna

Identification, characterisation of microplastic and their effects on aquatic organisms

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Tiny plastic bits called microplastics are building up in rivers, lakes, and oceans, and fish are absorbing them into their bodies, with the amount varying by fish species, which body part, and what they eat. This review pulls together existing research on how scientists detect these particles and how they affect aquatic life, which matters to us because these same fish often end up on our dinner plates, potentially passing microplastics up the food chain to humans.