Leachates of weathering plastics from an urban sandy beach: Toxicity to sea urchin fertilization and early development

Abstract

Plastic leachates have chemical and biological implications for marine environments. This study experimentally evaluated acute effects of weathering plastic leachates (0, 25, 50, 75 and 100 %) on fertilization and early development of the sea urchin Lytechinus variegatus. Fertilization, embryonic and larval development were drastically inhibited (~75 %) when gametes were exposed to intermediate and high leachate concentrations or delayed when exposed to the lowest concentration. Fertilization and first cleavage stages were highly affected by exposure to intermediate and high leachate concentrations. None of the cells incubated at concentrations from 50 % reached blastula stage, suggesting that embryonic development was the most sensitive stage. Abnormalities in embryos and larvae were observed in all leachate treatments. Chemical analysis detected high concentration of bisphenol A, which may induce these observed effects. Our results highlight the potential threats of plastic pollution to sea urchin populations, which may severely affect the structure and functioning of coastal ecosystems.