Experimental evidence of physiological and behavioral effects of microplastic ingestion in Sparus aurata

Rios-Fuster, Beatriz; Arechavala-López, Pablo; García-Marcos, K; Alomar, Carme; Compa, Montserrat; Álvarez, Elvira; Julià, María Micaela; Martí, Antònia Solomando; Sureda, Antoni; Deudero, Salud

doi:10.1016/j.aquatox.2020.105737

Cited by 65 publications

(25 citation statements)

References 107 publications

(160 reference statements)

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“…In this project, we evaluated the biological effects of MP particles, and those exposed to estrogen (i.e., the vector hypothesis) on dominance interactions and territorial success in a freshwater fish. Despite a wealth of studies documenting the adverse effects of MP exposure on the behavior of fish (Bour et al, 2020; Critchell & Hoogenboom, 2018; Mak et al, 2019; Pannetier et al, 2020; Rios‐Fuster et al, 2021; Yin et al, 2018), to our knowledge no prior studies have investigated the impacts of MPs on the outcomes of complex behaviors crucial to reproductive success. The males in our study (i) consumed MPs as a byproduct of normal feeding events, and (ii) readily engaged in aggressive contests over a limited resource (i.e., a breeding territory).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Other studies have also found that exposure to MPs may be associated with physiological changes that have the potential to affect individual behavior, such as sex hormone imbalances and decreases in overall reproductive fitness (Wang et al, 2019), changes in the expression of genes related to oxidative stress and inflammation (Assas et al, 2020;Qiang & Cheng, 2019;Rochman et al, 2014), and neurotoxic implications (Mak et al, 2019). Fewer studies have examined the effects of MPs on the outcomes of intraspecific or interspecific interactions (Rios-Fuster et al, 2021;Sarasamma et al, 2020), but exposure-induced changes in both predator-prey interactions (Ferreira et al, 2016) and conspecific interactions (Yin et al, 2018) have also been reported. However, our results are consistent with those of some previous studies that specifically considered intraspecific aggression as a biological marker of MP exposure.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Do microplastics impair male dominance interactions in fish? A test of the vector hypothesis

Swank

Blevins

Bourne

et al. 2022

Ecology and Evolution

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Microplastics (MPs) are widespread in aquatic environments and have become a critical environmental issue in recent years due to their adverse impacts on the physiology, reproduction, and survival of aquatic animals. Exposure to MPs also has the potential to induce sub‐lethal behavioral changes that can affect individual fitness, but these effects are understudied. Many plastic additives introduced during the manufacture of MPs are known endocrine‐disrupting chemicals (EDCs) that mimic the action of natural hormones, alter sexual and competitive behavior, and impair reproductive success in fish. In addition, EDCs and other aquatic contaminants may adhere to MPs in the environment, the latter of which may serve as transport vectors for these compounds (i.e., the vector hypothesis). In this study, we staged territorial contests between control males, and males exposed to virgin MP particles or to MPs previously immersed in one of two environmentally relevant concentrations of 17‐alpha ethinyl estradiol (EE2; 5 ng/L and 25 ng/L) to evaluate the independent and synergistic effects of exposure to MPs and a common environmental estrogen on male–male aggression and competitive territory acquisition in a freshwater fish, Pimephales promelas. Short‐term (30 days) dietary exposure to MPs did not impair the ability of males to successfully compete for and obtain a breeding territory. Overall levels of aggression in control and exposed males were also similar across trial series. These results help to fill a critical knowledge gap regarding the direct and indirect (vector‐borne) effects of MPs on the reproductive behavior of aquatic vertebrates in freshwater systems.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Do microplastics impair male dominance interactions in fish? A test of the vector hypothesis

Swank

Blevins

Bourne

et al. 2022

Ecology and Evolution

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“…Research aimed at also elucidating physiological impacts of MPs have exposed fish to pristine commercially-available particles under controlled laboratory conditions. Their bioavailability was demonstrated and effects such as altered feeding behavior, metabolic disorders, energy depletion, growth impairment, delayed development, compromised immune response, reproduction and lifespan were reported (Botterell et al, 2019; Espinosa et al, 2019, 2017; Guerrera et al, 2021; Mazurais et al, 2015; Rios-Fuster et al, 2021; Sendra et al, 2021; Yong et al, 2020).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

First evidence of in vitro cytotoxic effects of marine microlitter on Merluccius merluccius and Mullus barbatus, two Mediterranean commercial fish species

Miccoli

Mancini²,

Saraceni

et al. 2021

Preprint

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Marine litter, which is composed mainly of plastics, is recognized as one of the most serious threats to marine ecosystems and a global environmental concern. Microplastics (MPs) densities were estimated in all environmental compartments: marine organisms are highly exposed to and ingest them, resulting in disruption of biological functions. Ecotoxicological approaches have also started elucidating the potential severity of MPs in controlled laboratory studies, but the commercially-available and pristine materials employed hardly reflect the actual composition of the environmental litter, which can be contaminated by chemical pollutants or biological agents. Building on the lack of research employing marine environmental MPs or microlitter as a whole, we characterized the quantity and quality of litter in the coastal epipelagic and in the digestive tract of two commercially-relevant fish species, and exposed primary cell cultures of mucosal and lymphoid organs to marine microlitter. A concentration of 0.30 ± 0.02 microlitter items m-3 was found in the water column of the Northern Tyrrhenian sea. μFT-IR analysis revealed that particles of plastic origin, namely polypropylene, HDPE and polyamide, were present in 100% and 83.3% of M. merluccius and M. barbatus stomachs, respectively, which overall ingested 14.67 ± 4.10 and 5.50 ± 1.97 items. Microlitter was confirmed as a vector of bacteria, fungi and flagellates. Lastly, and for the first time, the apical end-point of viability was significantly reduced in splenic cells exposed in vitro to two microlitter conditions. Considering the role of the spleen in the mounting of adaptive immune responses, our results warrant more in-depth investigations for clarifying the actual susceptibility of the biota to anthropogenic microliter.Highlights0.30 ± 0.02 microlitter items m-3 was found in the coastal epipelagic Northern Tyrrhenian sea14.67 ± 4.10 and 5.50 ± 1.97 items were retrieved from hake and mullet stomach contentsA subsample of the ingested microlitter was of plastic originMicrolitter was validated as a carrier of bacteria, fungi and flagellatesSplenic cells exposed to both microlitter conditions for 72 hours suffered cytotoxicity

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“…A 21 day exposure of the fish Sparus aurata juveniles to virgin and weathered MPs was performed [86]. Fish were analyzed for a suite of enzyme biomarkers and behavioral changes, specifically social interactions and feeding behavior.…”

Section: Aquatic Effectsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Reality Check: Experimental Studies on Microplastics Lack Realism

Weis

Palmquist

2021

Applied Sciences

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Environmental microplastics are gaining interest due to their ubiquity and the threat they pose to environmental and human health. Critical studies have revealed the abundance of microplastics in nature, while others have tested the impacts of these small plastics on organismal health in the laboratory. Yet, there is often a mismatch between these two areas of research, resulting in major discrepancies and an inability to interpret certain findings. Here, we focus on several main lines of inquiry. First, even though the majority of environmental microplastics are plastic microfibers from textiles, laboratory studies still largely use spherical microbeads. There are also inconsistencies between the measurements of microplastics in the environment as compared to the concentrations that tend to be used in experimental studies. Likewise, the period of exposure occurring in experimental studies and in the environment are vastly different. Lastly, although experimental studies often focus on a particular subset of toxic chemicals present on microplastics, textile microfibers carry other dyes and chemicals that are understudied. They also cause types of physical damage not associated with microspheres. This review will analyze the literature pertaining to these mismatches, focusing on aquatic organisms and model systems, and seek to inform a path forward for this burgeoning area of research.

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Experimental evidence of physiological and behavioral effects of microplastic ingestion in Sparus aurata

Cited by 65 publications

References 107 publications

Do microplastics impair male dominance interactions in fish? A test of the vector hypothesis

Do microplastics impair male dominance interactions in fish? A test of the vector hypothesis

First evidence of in vitro cytotoxic effects of marine microlitter on Merluccius merluccius and Mullus barbatus, two Mediterranean commercial fish species

Reality Check: Experimental Studies on Microplastics Lack Realism

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