abstract
Microplastics (MPs) in the aquatic environment pose a serious threat to biota, by being confounded with food. These effects occur in mussels which are filter-feeding organisms. Mussels from the genus Mytilus sp. were used to evaluate the ecotoxicological effects of two MPs, polypropylene (PP) and polyethylene terephthalate (PET), after 4 and 28-days. Measured individual endpoints were condition index and feeding rate; and sub-individual parameters, metabolism of phase I (CYP1A1, CYP1A2 and CYP3A4) and II (glutathione S-transferases - GSTs), and antioxidant defense (catalase - CAT). MPs decreased both condition index (CI) and feeding rate (FR). No alterations occurred in metabolic enzymes, suggesting that these MPs are not metabolized by these pathways. Furthermore, lack of alterations in GSTs and CAT activities suggests the absence of conjugation and oxidative stress. Overall, biochemical markers were not responsive, but non-enzymatic responses showed deleterious effects caused by these MPs, which may be of high ecological importance.
keywords
MYTILUS-EDULIS; FEEDING-BEHAVIOR; INGESTION; GALLOPROVINCIALIS; GLUTATHIONE; INDUCTION; POLLUTION; TOXICITY; ETHOXYRESORUFIN; TRANSFERASES
subject category
Environmental Sciences & Ecology; Marine & Freshwater Biology
authors
Daniel, D; Barros, L; da Costa, JP; Girao, AV; Nunes, B
our authors
Ana Violeta Girão
Junior Researcher
João Miguel Martins Novaes Pinto da Costa
Research Fellowshipacknowledgements
This work was financed by the project BETTER PLASTICS - PLASTICS IN A CIRCULAR ECONOMY (POCI-01-0247-FEDER-046091, co-financed by Agencia Nacional de Inovacao, S.A, by COMPETE 2020), and by CESAM (UIDP/50017/2020 + UIDB/50017/2020 + LA/P/0094/2020). JPC thanks the financial support from the Portuguese Foundation for Science and Technology (FCT) under contract 2021.00909.CEECIND. The financial support or BioPlasMar (PTDC/CTA-AMB/0934/2021) from FCT is also acknowledged.