Accelerated Weathering Increases the Release of Toxic Leachates from Microplastic Particles as Demonstrated through Altered Toxicity to the Green Algae <em>Raphidocelis subcapitata</em>
Studies that evaluate the impact of microplastic particles (MPs) often apply particles of pristine material. However, MPs are affected by various abiotic and biotic processes in the environment that possibly modify their physical and chemical characteristics, which might then result in their altered...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2021-08-01
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| Series: | Toxics |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2305-6304/9/8/185 |
| _version_ | 1797521956287807488 |
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| author | Márta Simon Nanna B. Hartmann Jes Vollertsen |
| author_facet | Márta Simon Nanna B. Hartmann Jes Vollertsen |
| author_sort | Márta Simon |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Studies that evaluate the impact of microplastic particles (MPs) often apply particles of pristine material. However, MPs are affected by various abiotic and biotic processes in the environment that possibly modify their physical and chemical characteristics, which might then result in their altered toxic effect. This study evaluated the consequence of weathering on the release of toxic leachates from microplastics. MPs derived from six marine antifouling paints, end-of-life tires, and unplasticised PVC were exposed to UV-C radiation to simulate weathering. Non-weathered and weathered MPs were leached in algae growth medium for 72 h to demonstrate additive release under freshwater conditions. The model organism, green algae <i>Raphidocelis subcapitata</i>, was exposed to the resulting leachates of both non-weathered and weathered MPs. The results of the growth inhibition tests showed that the leachates of weathered microparticles were more toxic than of the non-weathered material, which was reflected in their lower median effect concentration (EC<sub>50</sub>) values. Chemical analysis of the leachates revealed that the concentration of heavy metals was several times higher in the leachates of the weathered MPs compared to the non-weathered ones, which likely contributed to the increased toxicity. Our findings suggest including weathered microplastic particles in exposure studies due to their probably differing impact on biota from MPs of pristine materials. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-10T08:19:55Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-c408bc9d6b9f4b6a9a48be9d34723850 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2305-6304 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-10T08:19:55Z |
| publishDate | 2021-08-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Toxics |
| spelling | doaj.art-c408bc9d6b9f4b6a9a48be9d347238502023-11-22T10:03:41ZengMDPI AGToxics2305-63042021-08-019818510.3390/toxics9080185Accelerated Weathering Increases the Release of Toxic Leachates from Microplastic Particles as Demonstrated through Altered Toxicity to the Green Algae <em>Raphidocelis subcapitata</em>Márta Simon0Nanna B. Hartmann1Jes Vollertsen2Department of the Built Environment, Aalborg University, Thomas Manns vej 23, 9220 Aalborg, DenmarkDepartment of Environmental Engineering, Technical University of Denmark, Bygningstorvet 115, 2800 Kgs. Lyngby, DenmarkDepartment of the Built Environment, Aalborg University, Thomas Manns vej 23, 9220 Aalborg, DenmarkStudies that evaluate the impact of microplastic particles (MPs) often apply particles of pristine material. However, MPs are affected by various abiotic and biotic processes in the environment that possibly modify their physical and chemical characteristics, which might then result in their altered toxic effect. This study evaluated the consequence of weathering on the release of toxic leachates from microplastics. MPs derived from six marine antifouling paints, end-of-life tires, and unplasticised PVC were exposed to UV-C radiation to simulate weathering. Non-weathered and weathered MPs were leached in algae growth medium for 72 h to demonstrate additive release under freshwater conditions. The model organism, green algae <i>Raphidocelis subcapitata</i>, was exposed to the resulting leachates of both non-weathered and weathered MPs. The results of the growth inhibition tests showed that the leachates of weathered microparticles were more toxic than of the non-weathered material, which was reflected in their lower median effect concentration (EC<sub>50</sub>) values. Chemical analysis of the leachates revealed that the concentration of heavy metals was several times higher in the leachates of the weathered MPs compared to the non-weathered ones, which likely contributed to the increased toxicity. Our findings suggest including weathered microplastic particles in exposure studies due to their probably differing impact on biota from MPs of pristine materials.https://www.mdpi.com/2305-6304/9/8/185microplasticweathering<i>Raphidocelis subcapitata</i>ecotoxicity |
| spellingShingle | Márta Simon Nanna B. Hartmann Jes Vollertsen Accelerated Weathering Increases the Release of Toxic Leachates from Microplastic Particles as Demonstrated through Altered Toxicity to the Green Algae <em>Raphidocelis subcapitata</em> Toxics microplastic weathering <i>Raphidocelis subcapitata</i> ecotoxicity |
| title | Accelerated Weathering Increases the Release of Toxic Leachates from Microplastic Particles as Demonstrated through Altered Toxicity to the Green Algae <em>Raphidocelis subcapitata</em> |
| title_full | Accelerated Weathering Increases the Release of Toxic Leachates from Microplastic Particles as Demonstrated through Altered Toxicity to the Green Algae <em>Raphidocelis subcapitata</em> |
| title_fullStr | Accelerated Weathering Increases the Release of Toxic Leachates from Microplastic Particles as Demonstrated through Altered Toxicity to the Green Algae <em>Raphidocelis subcapitata</em> |
| title_full_unstemmed | Accelerated Weathering Increases the Release of Toxic Leachates from Microplastic Particles as Demonstrated through Altered Toxicity to the Green Algae <em>Raphidocelis subcapitata</em> |
| title_short | Accelerated Weathering Increases the Release of Toxic Leachates from Microplastic Particles as Demonstrated through Altered Toxicity to the Green Algae <em>Raphidocelis subcapitata</em> |
| title_sort | accelerated weathering increases the release of toxic leachates from microplastic particles as demonstrated through altered toxicity to the green algae em raphidocelis subcapitata em |
| topic | microplastic weathering <i>Raphidocelis subcapitata</i> ecotoxicity |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2305-6304/9/8/185 |
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