Effects of conventional and biodegradable microplastics on a marine ecosystem engineer (Arenicola marina) and sediment nutrient cycling
Abstract
Effects of microplastic pollution on benthic organisms and ecosystem services provided by sedimentary habitats are largely unknown. An outdoor mesocosm experiment was done to realistically assess the effects of three different types of microplastic pollution (one biodegradable type; polylactic acid and two conventional types; polyethylene and polyvinylchloride) at increasing concentrations (0.02, 0.2 and 2% of wet sediment weight) on the health and biological activity of lugworms, Arenicola marina (Linnaeus, 1758), and on nitrogen cycling and primary productivity of the sediment they inhabit. After 31 days, A. marina produced less casts in sediments containing microplastics. Metabolic rates of A. marina increased, while microalgal biomass decreased at high concentrations, compared to sediments with low concentrations or without microplastics. Responses were strongest to polyvinylchloride, emphasising that different materials may have differential effects. Each material needs to be carefully evaluated in order to assess their risks as microplastic pollution. Overall, both conventional and biodegradable microplastics in sandy sediments can affect the health and behaviour of lugworms and directly or indirectly reduce primary productivity of these habitats.
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At the population scale, exposure to microplastics has resulted in reduced Daphnia population biomass, microalgae biomass, and population size of calanoid copepods.
“At the population scale, exposure to microplastics has resulted in reduced Daphnia population biomass (Bosker et al., 2019), microalgae biomass (Green et al., 2016), and population size of calanoid copepods (Heindler et al., 2017).”
From No Effect of Realistic Concentrations of Polyester Microplastic Fibers on Freshwater Zooplankton Communities (2024) · cites this paper as Green et al., 2016
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“In contrast, Green et al. (2016) reported no effects of polylactic acid and polyethylene microplastics on benthic community abundance.”
Background
- Authors
- Green, D. S., Boots, B., Sigwart, J., Jiang, S., & Rocha, C.
- Affiliations
- Queen's University Belfast (GB)
- University College Dublin (IE)
- Trinity College Dublin (IE)
- Corresponding author
- Green, Dannielle Senga
- Venue
- Environmental Pollution
- Publisher
- Elsevier BV
- Published
- 2016-01
- Volume
- 208
- Issue
- Pt B
- Pages
- 426-434
- ISSN
- 0269-7491 (ISSN-L)
- OpenAlex
- W2156203108
- Cited by
- 463
- References
- 53
- Citations by year
- 2026: 26 · 2025: 52 · 2024: 70 · 2023: 66 · 2022: 75 · 2021: 52 · 2020: 47 · 2019: 31 · 2018: 22 · 2017: 13 · 2016: 9
- FWCI
- 9.11
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- Environmental Pollution (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Research Portal (Queen's University Belfast) (submittedVersion)
- Funders
- Irish Research Council (GOIPD/2013/306)
- Topics
- Physical Sciences › Environmental Science › Pollution › Microplastics and Plastic Pollution
- Physical Sciences › Earth and Planetary Sciences › Oceanography › Marine Biology and Ecology Research
- Physical Sciences › Environmental Science › Health, Toxicology and Mutagenesis › Environmental Toxicology and Ecotoxicology
- Keywords
- microplastics, biodegradable microplastics, Arenicola marina, lugworm, polylactic acid, polyethylene, polyvinyl chloride, nitrogen cycling, primary productivity, metabolic rate, CAST, benthic organisms, sandy sediments, ecosystem engineers, microplastic pollution
- MeSH terms
- Animals, Nitrogen, Polychaeta, Polyesters, Polymers, Polyvinyl Chloride, Water Pollutants, Chemical, Ecosystem, Biomass, Geologic Sediments, Lactic Acid, Polyethylene, Microalgae
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