Uptake and Depuration Kinetics Influence Microplastic Bioaccumulation and Toxicity in Antarctic Krill (Euphausia superba)

Amanda Dawson; Wilhelmina Huston; So Kawaguchi; Catherine King; Roger Cropp; Seanan Wild; Pascale Eisenmann; Kathy A Townsend; Susan Bengtson Nash

doi:10.1021/acs.est.7b05759

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Uptake and Depuration Kinetics Influence Microplastic Bioaccumulation and Toxicity in Antarctic Krill (Euphausia superba)

Journal article

Peer reviewed

Uptake and Depuration Kinetics Influence Microplastic Bioaccumulation and Toxicity in Antarctic Krill (Euphausia superba)

Amanda Dawson, Wilhelmina Huston, So Kawaguchi, Catherine King, Roger Cropp, Seanan Wild, Pascale Eisenmann, Kathy A Townsend and Susan Bengtson Nash

Environmental Science and Technology, Vol.52, pp.3195-3201

2018

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.est.7b05759

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Abstract

The discarding of plastic products has led to the ubiquitous occurrence of microplastic particles in the marine environment. The uptake and depuration kinetics of ingested microplastics for many marine species still remain unknown despite its importance for understanding bioaccumulation potential to higher trophic level consumers. In this study, Antarctic krill (Euphausia superba) were exposed to polyethylene microplastics to quantify acute toxicity and ingestion kinetics, providing insight into the bioaccumulation potential of microplastics at the first-order consumer level. In the 10 day acute toxicity assay, no mortality or dose-dependent weight loss occurred in exposed krill, at any of the exposure concentrations (0, 10, 20, 40, or 80% plastic diet). Krill exposed to a 20% plastic diet for 24 h displayed fast uptake (22 ng mg-1 h-1) and depuration (0.22 h-1) rates, but plastic uptake did not reach steady state. Efficient elimination also resulted in no bioaccumulation over an extended 25 day assay, with most individuals completely eliminating their microplastic burden in less than 5 days post exposure. Our results support recent findings of limited acute toxicity of ingested microplastics at this trophic level, and suggest sublethal chronic end points should be the focus of further ecotoxicological investigation.

Details

Title: Uptake and Depuration Kinetics Influence Microplastic Bioaccumulation and Toxicity in Antarctic Krill (Euphausia superba)
Authors: Amanda Dawson (Author) - Griffith University
Wilhelmina Huston (Author) - University of Technology, Sydney
So Kawaguchi (Author) - Australian Antarctic Division
Catherine King (Author) - Australian Antarctic Division
Roger Cropp (Author) - Griffith University
Seanan Wild (Author) - Griffith University
Pascale Eisenmann (Author) - Griffith University
Kathy A Townsend (Author) - University of Queensland
Susan Bengtson Nash (Author) - Griffith University
Publication details: Environmental Science and Technology, Vol.52, pp.3195-3201
Publisher: American Chemical Society
Date published: 2018
DOI: 10.1021/acs.est.7b05759
ISSN: 0013-936X
Organisation Unit: School of Science and Engineering - Legacy; University of the Sunshine Coast, Queensland; School of Science, Technology and Engineering
Language: English
Record Identifier: 99450631002621
Output Type: Journal article

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Web Of Science research areas: Engineering, Environmental; Environmental Sciences

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