The exposure of nanoplastics
was investigated by observing their
interaction with Amphibalanus amphitrite (commonly known as acorn barnacles). Poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA)
and fluorescent perylene tetraester (PTE) dye were used to prepare
highly fluorescent nanoplastic particles. At concentrations of 25
ppm, the PMMA particles showed no detrimental impact on barnacle larvae
and their microalgae feed, Tetraselmis suecica and Chaetoceros muelleri. PMMA nanoplastics
were ingested and translocated inside the body of the barnacle nauplii
within the first 3 h of incubation. The fluorescent PMMA particles
inside the transparent nauplius were tracked using confocal fluorescence
microscopy. Subsequently, the nanoplastics were fed to the barnacle
nauplii under two conditionsacute and chronic exposure. The
results from acute exposure show that nanoplastics persist in the
body throughout stages of growth and developmentfrom nauplius
to cyprid and juvenile barnacle. Some egestion of nanoplastics was
observed through moulting and fecal excrement. In comparison, chronic
exposure demonstrates bioaccumulation of the nanoplastics even at
low concentrations of the plastics. The impacts of our study using
PMMA nanoparticles exceeds current knowledge, where most studies stop
at uptake and ingestion. Here we demonstrate that uptake of nanoparticles
during planktonic larval stages may persist to the adult stages, indicating
potential for the long-term impacts of nanoplastics on sessile invertebrate
communities.
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