Abstract
Microplastics are practically ubiquitous and pose a serious survival challenge for many species. Most of the exposure experiments for determining the toxicological effects of microplastics were performed with a microplastic varying little in shape and size (often purchased microplastic beads), but few studies deal with non-homogeneous samples. We analyzed the effect on Xenopuslaevis larva on the early development of polyester fibers, PEFs, taken from a dryer machine in which 100% polyester fabrics were dried after washing. Three concentrations were tested. The results showed that the gastrointestinal tract, GIT, was the most affected system by PEFs which modified the normal shape of the intestine with an EC50 96 h value of 6.3 µg mL−1. Fibers were observed to press against the digestive epithelium, deforming the normal architecture of the gut, sometimes pushing deep into the epithelium until piercing it. Physical GIT occlusion was observed in a concentration-dependent manner. However, no other damages were registered. No mortality was observed, but PEF-exposed larvae showed a significant reduction in their mobility. The results of the present paper suggest that environmental samples with their heterogeneity may have adverse effects on X. laevis development.
Highlights
Plastic pollution is omnipresent, and pieces of plastic less than 5 mm, commonly referred to as microplastics (MPs) [1], are reported to be present in a wide variety of environmental compartments [2], such as in the atmosphere [3], aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems [4], remote areas [5], and even food [6] and beverages [7]
This study showed for the first time that larvae of the amphibian X. laevis can ingest environmentally relevant microfiber polyesters
Very high numbers of PEF can be taken up resulting in significant effects on their movement, even if the exposure time was very limited
Summary
Pieces of plastic less than 5 mm, commonly referred to as microplastics (MPs) [1], are reported to be present in a wide variety of environmental compartments [2], such as in the atmosphere [3], aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems [4], remote areas [5], and even food [6] and beverages [7]. Microplastic fibers (MPFs) derive from various sources: from clothes mostly made of polyethylene terephthalate, namely polyester, through a direct pathway from clothing to water courses or via the atmosphere [9,10]. They are known to enter the environment during the production process, laundering the end products, or due to disintegration of textiles and non-laundering fabrics such as flags, sails, furniture, carpets, or mattresses. The washing process of polyester textiles was demonstrated to represent an important source of MPFs [12,13,14,15]. Browne and co-workers reported that wastewater from domestic washing machines could produce > 1900 fibers per wash of a single garment [13], while Napper and Thompson found that an average 6 kg wash load of acrylic fabric could release over
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