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Ingestion and Egestion of Microplastics by the Cladoceran Daphnia magna: Effects of Regular and Irregular Shaped Plastic and Sorbed Phenanthrene
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Researchers studied how the water flea Daphnia magna ingests and excretes polyethylene microplastics of different shapes and sizes. They found that irregular-shaped fragments were ingested differently than regular beads, and that neither type caused acute mortality at tested concentrations — but the study raises questions about chronic effects in this key freshwater species.
The presence of microplastics in aquatic ecosystems is of increasing global concern. This study investigated ingestion, egestion and acute effects of polyethylene microplastics in Daphnia magna. Fate of regular shaped microplastic beads (10-106 µm) were compared with irregular shaped microplastic fragments (10-75 µm). Daphnia magna ingested regular and irregular microplastic with uptake between 0.7 and 50 plastic particles/animal/day when exposed to microplastic concentrations of 0.0001-10 g/L. Egestion of irregular fragments was slower than that of microplastic beads. The EC50 for irregular microplastic was 0.065 g/L whereas microplastic beads were less inhibitory. The potential of microplastic to act as vector for hydrophobic pollutants was examined using [C]phenanthrene as tracer. Polyethylene microplastic sorbed less [C]phenanthrene compared to natural plankton organisms (bacteria, algae, yeast). As microplastics are much less abundant in most aquatic ecosystems compared to plankton organisms this suggests a limited role as vector for hydrophobic pollutants under current environmental conditions.
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Size-dependent chronic toxicity of fragmented polyethylene microplastics to Daphnia magna
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Researchers tested the long-term effects of irregularly shaped polyethylene microplastic fragments on the freshwater organism Daphnia magna over 21 days. They found that fragmented microplastics were ingested at much higher rates and caused more harm to reproduction and survival than smooth, round plastic beads of similar size, suggesting particle shape matters for toxicity.
Shape, size, and polymer dependent effects of microplastics on Daphnia magna
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Researchers systematically tested how the shape, size, and material of microplastic particles affect the water flea Daphnia magna by comparing polystyrene particles to non-plastic control particles with similar properties. They found that small polystyrene beads and fragments caused harmful effects on reproduction and body shape, while none of the non-plastic control particles caused any damage. The study suggests that the toxic effects are specific to the plastic polymer itself, not simply a result of ingesting small particles.
Ingestion of micro- and nanoplastics in Daphnia magna – Quantification of body burdens and assessment of feeding rates and reproduction
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Researchers used a quantitative approach to measure how the water flea Daphnia magna ingests and excretes micro- and nanoplastic particles of different sizes. They found that larger 2-micrometer particles were ingested in greater mass than 100-nanometer particles, and that complete excretion did not occur within 24 hours. Chronic exposure reduced feeding rates and reproduction, suggesting that ongoing microplastic exposure could have meaningful ecological consequences for these important freshwater organisms.
Shape-driven toxicity of polystyrene microplastics: Impacts on physiology and gut microbiota in Daphnia magna
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Researchers studied how the shape of polystyrene microplastics affects toxicity in the water flea Daphnia magna, comparing irregular fragments to smooth beads. The study found that fragment-shaped microplastics were more toxic than spherical beads, triggered stronger reactive oxygen species production, and induced different gut microbiota changes, suggesting that particle shape is an important factor in microplastic toxicity.
Quantifying Polyethylene Microplastics Through Microscopy and Investigating Their Effects on Daphnia magna Growth Rate
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Researchers used a microscope to detect tiny polyethylene plastic beads in water fleas (Daphnia magna), finding plastic particles in most digested specimens tested. When juvenile Daphnia were fed algae with or without microplastics, growth rates and survival varied between groups, but results were inconclusive due to small sample sizes and high death rates in some groups.
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