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The combined effects of aging polylactic acid microplastics and TCPP on the byssus genes of the mussel Mytilus coruscus
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Researchers exposed mussels to polylactic acid microplastics, both new and aged, combined with a flame retardant chemical for 14 days and measured effects on byssus thread gene expression. They found that aged biodegradable microplastics and the flame retardant each suppressed genes related to the adhesive byssal plaque, and their combined effects worsened with increasing concentration. The study emphasizes that even biodegradable plastics become more ecotoxic as they age in marine environments.
Polylactic acid (PLA), despite its biodegradability, readily degrades into aging microplastics (MPs) in marine environments, while tris(1-chloro-2-propyl) phosphate (TCPP), a representative organophosphorus flame retardant (OPFR), emerges as a concerning marine pollutant. To evaluate their combined effects and ecological risks, mussels were exposed to PLA (both virgin and aging at 0.2 and 1 mg/L), TCPP (0.5 μg/L) and their combination for 14 days, and the gene expressions related to byssus in PLA, aging PLA, TCPP, TCPP + PLA, TCPP + aging PLA treatment were analyzed. Exposed to 1 mg/L aging PLA or 0.5 μg/L TCPP alone suppressed the gene expression related to byssal plaque, respectively. Moreover, the combined effects of aging PLA and TCPP on byssus increased with increasing PLA concentration. Our study emphasizes that, aging would still enhance the ecotoxicity of MPs, even though they are biodegradable. Greater attention should be paid to the risks of PLA in the future.
More Papers Like This
Aging Enhances the Ecotoxicological Effects of Biobased Microplastic Poly(Lactic Acid) and Its Adsorbed Tris(1-chloro-2-propyl)phosphate on Mussels
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Researchers studied how the biodegradable plastic PLA, once aged in simulated marine conditions, affects mussels compared to fresh PLA. They found that aged PLA microplastics adsorbed more of the flame retardant chemical TCPP and caused greater toxic effects in mussels, including oxidative stress and immune responses. The study suggests that so-called biodegradable plastics may actually become more harmful as they weather in the ocean rather than safely breaking down.
Aging Enhancesthe Ecotoxicological Effects of BiobasedMicroplastic Poly(LacticAcid) and Its Adsorbed Tris(1-chloro-2-propyl)phosphate on Mussels
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This study aged PLA bioplastic microplastics under simulated marine conditions and combined them with the plastic additive TCPP before exposing mussels, finding that aged PLA microplastics caused greater toxicity than virgin particles and that TCPP co-exposure compounded oxidative and inflammatory effects.
Tris(1-chloro-2-propyl) phosphate enhances the adverse effects of biodegradable polylactic acid microplastics on the mussel Mytilus coruscus
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Researchers studied how a flame retardant chemical (TCPP) interacts with biodegradable polylactic acid (PLA) microplastics in mussels. The combination of the flame retardant and PLA microplastics caused more oxidative stress, immune disruption, and metabolic changes than either pollutant alone. This finding is important because biodegradable plastics are often assumed to be safer, but they can still carry harmful chemical additives that increase their toxicity to marine life and, by extension, to people who eat seafood.
Effect of aging of microplastics on gene expression levels of the marine mussel Mytilus edulis: Comparison in vitro/in vivo exposures
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Researchers compared the effects of aged versus non-aged polyethylene microplastics on the marine mussel Mytilus edulis using both in vitro and in vivo exposures at environmentally relevant concentrations. The study found that gene expression changes in xenobiotic defense, immune function, and cell cycle control differed depending on whether the plastic was aged and the type of exposure method used. These findings highlight that the environmental weathering state of microplastics is an important factor in determining their biological effects on marine organisms.
Beyond carrier effects: Polyamide microplastics and TCPP jointly drive physiological toxicity in mussels at environmental concentrations
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Researchers exposed thick-shelled mussels to polyamide microplastics combined with the flame retardant TCPP at environmentally relevant concentrations. They found that the combined stress caused physiological toxicity through an adsorption effect rather than a simple carrier effect, with potentially irreversible damage to digestive glands. The study also showed that the internal bacterial diversity of exposed mussels was altered, indicating broader ecological consequences of microplastic-chemical co-exposure in marine environments.
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