engleski

Interaction of microplastics with silver nanoparticles and cypermethrin and their effect on early embryonal development of the sea urchin Arbacia lixula

Microplastics represent one of the most significant environmental issues in today’s world. In addition to mechanical damage, microplastics can have deleterious effects on organisms due to the leaching of residual monomers, oligomers, and additives but also as vectors for other pollutants that may be simultaneously present in urban wastewater streams. Thus, the effects of two microplastics, polystyrene (PS ; 10 μm) and polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA ; 10 μm) with either adsorbed bactericidal silver nanoparticles (AgNPs ; 40 nm) or the pyrethroid insecticide cypermethrin (Cyp), on fertilisation and embryogenesis in the sea urchin Arbacia lixula were investigated. Physicochemical analysis indicated high concentrations of AgNPs and Cyp adsorbed on the microplastics. Adsorbed AgNPs (10 and 50 μg/L) or Cyp (10 and 1000 μg/L) on either of the two microplastics (50 mg/L) did not significantly affect either the embryonal development of the treated zygotes or the fertilisation ability of pre-treated sperm. However, a modest reduction in the quality of the offspring of pre-treated sperm was noted, suggesting transmissible damage to the embryos. The unexpectedly low toxicity of AgNPs and Cyp may derive from the sequestration of these toxicants, including silver ions released from the AgNPs, by the polymer microparticles. Interestingly, while ingestion of virgin microparticles was noted, for embryos co-exposed to AgNPs and microparticles no such ingestion was observed. While antagonistic effects may be ascribed to reduced toxicity of surface adsorbed AgNPs, the cause of reduced ingestion is less clear and may be related to mechanisms that suppress feeding rather than the ability to differentiate between microplastics and natural food.

adsorption ; insecticide ; polymethyl methacrylate ; polystyrene ; urban wastewater

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