Bioindicator species of plastic toxicity in tropical environments

Abstract

In French Polynesia, pearl farming represents the second economic resource of the country. The distinctive black pearls produced there are globally recognized and appreciated. However, pearl farms extensively use submerged plastic materials. Through gas chromatography coupled with tandem mass spectrometry detection (GC/MSMS) analysis, we were able to identify various POPs (Persistent Organic Pollutants) and additives released after 24 h of leaching into seawater from these “pearl plastics” composed of PE (Polyethylene) and PP (Polypropylene). Subsequently, we tested different concentrations of this plastic leachate on five tropical species commonly raised in the pearl and aquaculture sector in Polynesia: Pinctada margaritifera, Saccostrea cucullata, Holothuria whitmaei, Litopenaeus stylirostris, and Tripneustes gratilla. Monitoring the embryo-larval development of these organisms allowed us to establish a correlation between the decrease in the percentage of normal larvae and the plastic concentration. Through the use of regression models, the EC50 (Effective Concentration) of the plastic leachate for each species was determined, and demonstrated to range from 6.6 to 71.5 g/L, depending on the species. The most sensitive species was the black teatfish Holothuria whitmaei, a tropical sea cucumber used for the first time for ecotoxicological tests. The sensitivity of this species, its large distribution in tropical areas, and the various advantages presented by its cultivation make it an interesting bio-indicator species for monitoring plastic pollution in tropical lagoons.