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Microplastics reduced posterior segment regeneration rate of the polychaete Perinereis aibuhitensis
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Researchers exposed a commercially farmed polychaete worm to microplastics and found increased mortality and a significantly reduced rate of posterior segment regeneration. This suggests that microplastic contamination in coastal sediments may impair the regenerative capacity of economically and ecologically important marine worms.
Microplastics are found in abundance in and on coastal sediments, and yet, whether exposure to this emerging pollutant negatively impact whole organism function is unknown. Focusing on a commercially important polychaete, Perinereis aibuhitensis, we demonstrated that presence of microplastics increased mortality and reduced the rate of posterior segment regeneration. The impact of the micro-polystyrene beads was size-dependent with smaller beads (8-12μm in diameter) being more detrimental than those bigger in size (32-38μm). This observed difference suggests microplastic impact could be affected by physical properties, e.g., sinking speed, surface area available for sorption of chemicals and bacteria, and selective feeding behaviors of the target organism.
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Microplastics Can Inhibit the Mucus Production andRegenerative Capability of the Marine Polychaete Neanthesacuminata
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Researchers investigated how microplastic exposure affects mucus production and regenerative capability in the marine polychaete Neanthes acuminata, a sediment-dwelling organism with critical ecosystem functions. They found that microplastics inhibited mucus secretion and reduced the worm's ability to regenerate tissue, demonstrating physiological impairment in an ecologically important invertebrate group.
Microplastics Can Inhibit the Mucus Production and Regenerative Capability of the Marine Polychaete Neanthes acuminata
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Researchers investigated how microplastic exposure affects mucus production and regenerative capability of the marine polychaete Neanthes acuminata, a sediment-dwelling species critical to bioturbation and organic decomposition in marine ecosystems, finding significant impairment of these key physiological functions.
Microplastic ingestion decreases energy reserves in marine worms
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Researchers exposed marine worms to microplastics and found that ingestion reduced the worms' energy reserves, demonstrating that microplastic ingestion imposes a measurable energetic cost that could affect growth, reproduction, and survival.
Nanoplastic exposure inhibits feeding and delays regeneration in a freshwater planarian
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Researchers exposed freshwater planarians to nanoplastics and found that even very low concentrations significantly reduced feeding rates. Higher concentrations also delayed the worms' ability to regenerate lost body parts, a key biological function for these organisms. The study suggests that nanoplastic pollution in freshwater environments may impair fundamental survival behaviors and biological processes in aquatic invertebrates.
Changes in particle mixing by benthic infauna induced by microplastics: implications for nitrogen cycling in marine sediments
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Researchers found that increasing polypropylene microplastic concentrations impaired deep-burrowing behaviour of the marine worm Macroclymenella stewartensis but not the bivalve Macomona liliana, with microplastics also modifying interspecific relationships and thereby disrupting particle mixing and nutrient cycling processes in marine sediments.
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When a large batch of papers lands in the Atlas, we read through it and send a short write-up of what stood out.