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61,005 resultsShowing papers similar to Toxic effects of polyethylene microplastics on Allonais inaequalis, Chironomus sancticaroli and Daphnia magna under conventional and stressful exposures
ClearThe ecotoxicological impact of microplastics on freshwater invertebrates
This review summarizes the ecotoxicological effects of microplastics on freshwater invertebrates, finding evidence of harm including reduced feeding, growth, and reproduction across multiple species. Because invertebrates are key links in food webs, these effects could have broader consequences for freshwater ecosystems.
Environmentally relevant concentrations of polyethylene microplastics negatively impact the survival, growth and emergence of sediment-dwelling invertebrates
Researchers exposed sediment-dwelling invertebrates, including midges and worms, to environmentally realistic concentrations of polyethylene microplastics and found significant reductions in survival, growth, and emergence rates. The study provides evidence that even at concentrations currently found in freshwater sediments, microplastics can negatively affect benthic organisms that play key roles in ecosystem functioning.
Effects of Microplastics on Aquatic Animals: A Case Study on Daphnia
Researchers exposed Daphnia water fleas to ten types of virgin plastic materials (HDPE, LDPE, PA, PVC, PP, PS, TPU, etc.) and measured survival, reproduction, and behavioral endpoints, finding that PVC and certain engineering plastics caused the greatest acute toxicity while softer polyolefins had lower effects.
Effects of environmentally relevant concentrations of microplastics on amphipods
Researchers exposed two amphipod species to environmentally relevant polyethylene microplastic concentrations and found increased mortality and oxidative stress, with species-specific sensitivity suggesting ecological impacts even at low exposure levels.
Determination of microplastics toxicity
Lab experiments tested the toxicity of polyethylene, polypropylene, and polystyrene microplastics on a green alga, a water flea, and zebrafish embryos, finding harmful effects at various concentrations. The study provides toxicological data supporting that microplastics pose real risks to aquatic organisms.
Multigenerational effects of polyethylene microplastics on freshwater benthic invertebrates, Chironomus tepperi
Researchers exposed the freshwater benthic midge Chironomus tepperi to polyethylene microplastics (8-20 µm) in sediment at four environmentally relevant concentrations over two generations, finding no significant effects on growth but significant decreases in survival and emergence rates at the highest concentration (1,000 MPs/kg) in both generations. Metabolic analyses were conducted to further characterize sublethal mechanisms of MP toxicity in this common stormwater sediment organism.
Sublethal impacts of fragmented polyethylene nanoplastics on Daphnia magna following chronic exposure
Researchers exposed Daphnia magna (water fleas) to fragmented polyethylene nanoplastics over a chronic period and observed adverse sublethal effects. The study suggests that even at concentrations that do not cause outright mortality, fragmented nanoplastics from real-world polyethylene degradation can impair the health and function of these important freshwater organisms.
Ecotoxicity of microplastics to freshwater biota: Considering exposure and hazard across trophic levels
This review examines the toxic effects of microplastics on freshwater organisms across multiple levels of the food web, from biofilms and plankton to fish and amphibians. Researchers found evidence of harm in several species, though effects varied widely depending on particle size, type, and concentration. The study highlights that freshwater microplastic toxicity is still poorly understood compared to marine environments and calls for more standardized research.
Toxic effects of polyethylene-microplastics on freshwater fish species: Implications for human health
This study reviews the toxic effects of polyethylene microplastics on freshwater fish species and the implications for human health, drawing on a body of existing literature on plastic pollution in aquatic ecosystems. The work synthesizes evidence of microplastic ingestion, bioaccumulation, and physiological effects in freshwater fish with relevance to human dietary exposure.
The effect of microplastics on the speed, mortality rate, and swimming patterns of Daphnia Magna
This study compared how polystyrene and polyethylene microplastics affect the swimming speed, mortality, and movement patterns of Daphnia magna water fleas, finding both plastics caused behavioral changes. Daphnia are key animals in freshwater food webs, and microplastic-induced behavioral impairment could affect their role in aquatic ecosystems.
Toxic impact of polystyrene microplastic particles in freshwater organisms
Researchers tested the toxic effects of polystyrene microplastics on four freshwater species including algae, rotifers, crustaceans, and ostracods. They found that water fleas were the most sensitive, with chronic effects appearing at very low concentrations, and that microplastics caused both DNA damage and increased production of reactive oxygen species. The study highlights that even at relatively low concentrations, microplastics can pose a meaningful threat to freshwater ecosystems.
Microplastics in freshwater ecosystems : effects and drivers
This thesis assessed how microplastic exposure affects freshwater microorganisms, macroinvertebrates, and other organisms in freshwater ecosystems, finding that microplastics are a pervasive contaminant of freshwater environments with unclear but potentially significant ecological impacts.
The synergistic effect of mono and co-exposure of microplastic suspensions on Daphnia magna’s survival, population density, reproduction rate & swimming behavior.
When water fleas (Daphnia magna) were exposed to mixtures of HDPE, LDPE, and polypropylene microplastics together, the combined toxicity was substantially greater than any single polymer alone, with the mixture LC50 dropping to 77 mg/L compared to 109–123 mg/L for individual plastics. This synergistic effect — reducing survival, reproduction, and normal swimming behavior — is an important finding because organisms in nature encounter mixtures of plastic types, not just one at a time.
Effects of polyvinyl chloride microplastics on reproduction, oxidative stress and reproduction and detoxification-related genes in Daphnia magna
Researchers exposed water fleas (Daphnia magna) to PVC microplastics of two different sizes and measured effects on reproduction, oxidative stress, and gene expression. They found that smaller microplastics caused greater reproductive impairment and stronger oxidative stress responses, along with changes in genes related to reproduction and detoxification. The study demonstrates that microplastic size is an important factor in determining toxicity to freshwater invertebrates.
Microplastics in freshwater sediments: Effects on benthic invertebrate communities and ecosystem functioning assessed in artificial streams
Researchers tested the effects of polyethylene microplastics on freshwater invertebrate communities in artificial streams using environmentally relevant concentrations. They found that microplastics significantly reduced the abundance of deposit-feeding and grazing organisms by 31-50%, with chironomids and mayflies showing the highest ingestion of plastic particles.
The Effects of Polyethylene and Polypropylene Microplastics on Daphnia dentifera
Researchers examined the effects of polyethylene and polypropylene microplastics on the body size, swim speed, and clonal growth rate of the freshwater crustacean Daphnia dentifera, assessing sublethal physiological and behavioural impacts of two common plastic polymer types.
Review on the ecotoxicological impacts of plastic pollution on the freshwater invertebrate Daphnia
This review examines the ecotoxicological impacts of plastic pollution on the freshwater invertebrate Daphnia, a widely used model organism. Researchers highlight that microplastics affect Daphnia reproduction, growth, and survival, and that chemicals leaching from plastics may contribute additional toxic effects that transfer through food webs.
Acute sensitivity of three Cladoceran species to different types of microplastics in combination with thermal stress
This study tested the acute sensitivity of three Cladoceran water flea species to different types of microplastics, finding species-specific differences in toxicity responses and identifying particle type and shape as key factors driving toxicity.
Microplastic Effect Thresholds for Freshwater Benthic Macroinvertebrates
Researchers conducted the first study to determine microplastic effect thresholds across six freshwater benthic invertebrate species using a wide range of concentrations. In standardized 28-day bioassays with polystyrene microplastics mixed into sediment, they found no significant effects on survival, growth, reproduction, or feeding in most species even at high concentrations. The results suggest that for these organisms, the direct physical effects of microplastics at environmentally realistic levels may be limited.
Is the development of Daphnia magna neonates affected by short-term exposure to polyethylene microplastics?
Daphnia magna neonates ingested polyethylene microplastics within the first 24 hours of exposure but showed no significant effects on mobility or molting, though food availability was a more powerful driver of development than microplastic concentration. The study highlights the importance of accounting for feeding regime when interpreting microplastic toxicity tests.
Ecotoxicological Effects of Polyvinyl Chloride (PVC) Microplastics on the Growth, Reproduction and Survival of Daphnia magna
Researchers exposed Daphnia magna to polyvinyl chloride microplastics at different concentrations, alone and combined with two algal food sources, and measured growth, reproduction, and survival. PVC microplastics reduced fecundity and survival in a dose-dependent manner, with food source type modulating the severity of toxicity effects.
Screening study of four environmentally relevant microplastic pollutants: Uptake and effects on Daphnia magna and Artemia franciscana
Researchers exposed Daphnia water fleas and brine shrimp to four real-world microplastic types from consumer products, finding that smaller particles were ingested more readily by daphnids, that gut accumulation depended on particle size, and that while no acute lethality occurred, brine shrimp growth was impaired.
Effects of microplastics on key reproductive and biochemical endpoints of the freshwater microcrustacean Daphnia magna
Researchers studied how microplastics affect reproduction and biochemistry in the freshwater water flea Daphnia magna, a widely used indicator species. They found that microplastic exposure led to changes in reproductive output and altered key biochemical markers in these small crustaceans. The study suggests that even tiny plastic particles can disrupt important biological functions in freshwater organisms that form the base of aquatic food webs.
Effects of microplastics and natural particles on the aquatic invertebrate Daphnia magna under different dietary quality scenarios
Researchers exposed Daphnia magna to both natural particles—including sediment, algae, and biofilm—and polystyrene microplastics to compare their effects, finding that natural particles caused similar or greater harm than microplastics at equivalent concentrations, highlighting the need for environmental context in MP toxicity studies.