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Abstract
Standard ecotoxicological testing of microplastic does not provide insight into the influence that environmental weathering by, e.g., UV light has on related effects. In this study, we leached chemicals from plastic into artificial seawater during simulated UV-induced weathering. We tested largely additive-free preproduction polyethylene, polyethylene terephthalate, polypropylene, and polystyrene and two types of plastic obtained from electronic equipment as positive controls. Leachates were concentrated by solid-phase extraction and dosed into cell-based bioassays that cover (i) cytotoxicity; (ii) activation of metabolic enzymes via binding to the arylhydrocarbon receptor (AhR) and the peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor (PPARγ); (iii) specific, receptor-mediated effects (estrogenicity, ERα); and (iv) adaptive response to oxidative stress (AREc32). LC-HRMS analysis was used to identify possible chain-scission products of polymer degradation, which were then tested in AREc32 and PPARγ. Explicit activation of all assays by the positive controls provided proof-of-concept of the experimental setup to demonstrate effects of chemicals liberated during weathering. All plastic leachates activated the oxidative stress response, in most cases with increased induction by UV-treated samples compared to dark controls. For PPARγ, polyethylene-specific effects were partially explained by the detected dicarboxylic acids. Since the preproduction plastic showed low effects often in the range of the blanks future studies should investigate implications of weathering on end consumer products containing additives.
Highlights
Pollution of the aquatic environment by plastic debris has become ubiquitous over the last decades and fits the profile of a planetary boundary threat.[1]
Negative effects on organisms from different trophic levels such as algae, daphnia, and fish have been reported for laboratory studies using pristine microplastic particles.[7−9] plastic debris has the potential to serve as a source and sink of persistent organic pollutants (POPs)[10] which may facilitate the transport of such substances, often referred to as the “vector effect”
The low EUbio values of the solid-phase extraction (SPE) blanks suggest a limited effect of the sample processing on the induction of arylhydrocarbon receptor (AhR) since two out of three replicates were located at the lower end of the procedural blanks
Summary
Pollution of the aquatic environment by plastic debris has become ubiquitous over the last decades and fits the profile of a planetary boundary threat.[1]. Many studies have investigated the potential effects of microplastic by addressing the physical presence and impact of the particles themselves. Negative effects on organisms from different trophic levels such as algae, daphnia, and fish have been reported for laboratory studies using pristine microplastic particles.[7−9] plastic debris has the potential to serve as a source and sink of persistent organic pollutants (POPs)[10] which may facilitate the transport of such substances, often referred to as the “vector effect”.11. Depending on the polymer’s intended use, additives such as UV stabilizers and flame retardants are added to preproduction polymers during manufacturing.[12] Once released to the environment, plastic debris may act as a source of these additives and has the potential to negatively impact organisms.[13] The high sorptive capacity for hydrophobic organic contaminants such as Polychlorinated Biphenyls (PCBs)[14,15] and Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons (PAHs)[16] renders polymers a sink for these compounds
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