Cited by 86Microplastics and Plastic PollutionEnvironmental Toxicology and EcotoxicologyPharmaceutical and Antibiotic Environmental Impacts

Long-term adverse effects of microplastics on Daphnia magna reproduction and population growth rate at increased water temperature and light intensity: Combined effects of stressors and interactions

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Guilhermino, Lúcia, Martins, Alexandra, Cunha, Sara, Fernandes, José O.·2021·Science of The Total Environment

Abstract

In many ecosystems, the zooplankton community has been pressured simultaneously by microplastic pollution and alterations resulting from global climate changes. The potential influence of light intensity rise (from 10,830 lx to 26,000 lx) and water temperature rise (from 20 °C to 25 °C) on the long term-toxicity of microplastics (MPs) to Daphnia magna were investigated. Three 21-day laboratory bioassays with model MPs (1–5 μm diameter) were carried out at (i) 20 °C/10830 lx, (ii) 20 °C/26000 lx, and (iii) 25 °C/10830 lx. In each bioassay, one control (no MPs) and three MP concentrations (0.04, 0.09, 0.19 mg/L) were tested. In all the bioassays, MPs caused parental and juvenile mortality, and reduced the somatic growth, reproduction and population growth rate. The MP EC50s on living offspring (95% confidence interval within brackets) were 0.146 mg/L (0.142–0.151 mg/L) at 20 °C/10830 lx, 0.102 mg/L (0.099–0.105 mg/L) at 20 °C/26000 lx, and 0.101 mg/L (0.098–0.104 mg/L) at 25 °C/10830 lx. Relatively to the respective control group, 0.19 mg/L of MPs decreased the mean of the population growth rate by 27% at 20 °C/10830 lx, 38% at 20 °C/26000 lx and 59% at 25 °C/10830 lx. Based on the population growth rate and in relation to 20 °C/10830 lx (control, no MPs), the interaction between increased light intensity (26,000 lx) and MPs was synergism (at all the MP concentrations tested). The interaction between water temperature rise (25 °C) and MPs was antagonism at 0.04 mg/L of MPs and synergism at 0.09 and 0.19 mg/L of MPs. In the present scenario of climate changes and global MP pollution such findings raise high concern because zooplankton communities are crucial for aquatic biodiversity conservation, ecosystem functioning and services provided to humans. Further studies on the combined effects of MPs, other common pollutants, and alterations due to climate changes are needed.

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  1. Baird, D.J., Soares, A.M.V.M., Girling, A., Barber, I., Bradley, M., Calow, P., 1989b. The long- term maintenance of Daphnia magna Straus for use in ecotoxicity tests: problems and prospects. In: Lokke, H., Tyle, H., Bro-Rasmussen, F. (Eds.), Proceedings of the First European Conference on Ecotoxicology. Copenhagen, Denmark, pp. 144-148.
  2. Lotka, A.J., 1913. A natural population norm. J. Wash. Acad. Sci. 3 (241-248), 289-293.
  3. Sellers, W.D., 1965. Physical Climatology. University of Chicago Press, Chicago.
  4. Soares, A.M.V.M. 1989. Clonal variation in life-history traits in Daphnia magna Straus (Crustacea, Cladocera). Implications for Ecotoxicology. PhD Thesis, University of Shef- field, Sheffield, UK.

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Authors
Guilhermino, L., Martins, A., Cunha, S., & Fernandes, J. O.
Affiliations
Universidade do Porto (PT)
Corresponding author
Guilhermino, Lúcia
Venue
Science of The Total Environment
Publisher
Elsevier BV
Published
2021-08
Volume
784
Pages
147082
ISSN
0048-9697 (ISSN-L)
OpenAlex
W3154689933
Cited by
86
References
97
Citations by year
2026: 9 · 2025: 17 · 2024: 16 · 2023: 24 · 2022: 17 · 2021: 3
FWCI
3.72
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Locations
  • The Science of The Total Environment (publishedVersion, cc-by-nc-nd)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
Funders
  • European Regional Development Fund
  • Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia
Topics
  • Physical Sciences › Environmental Science › Pollution › Microplastics and Plastic Pollution
  • Physical Sciences › Environmental Science › Health, Toxicology and Mutagenesis › Environmental Toxicology and Ecotoxicology
  • Physical Sciences › Environmental Science › Pollution › Pharmaceutical and Antibiotic Environmental Impacts
Keywords
microplastics, Daphnia magna, chronic toxicity, water temperature, light intensity, population growth rate, reproduction, synergistic effect, antagonistic effect, climate change, zooplankton, physical growth, juvenile mortality, EC50, combined stress, plastic pollution, freshwater ecosystems, bioaccumulation, trophic transfer
MeSH terms
Microplastics, Animals, Daphnia, Humans, Plastics, Population Growth, Reproduction, Temperature, Water, Water Pollutants, Chemical, Ecosystem

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