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Cited by 11Microplastics and Plastic PollutionEnvironmental Toxicology and EcotoxicologyPharmaceutical and Antibiotic Environmental Impacts

Weathering increases the acute toxicity of plastic pellets leachates to sea-urchin larvae—a case study with environmental samples

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Ferrari, Michele, Laranjeiro, Filipe, Sugrañes, Marta, Oliva, Jordi, Beiras, Ricardo·2024·Scientific Reports
DOI 10.1038/s41598-024-60886-xPMC PMC11116416
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Abstract

Microplastics, particles under 5 mm, pervade aquatic environments, notably in Tarragona’s coastal region (NE Iberian Peninsula), hosting a major plastic production complex. To investigate weathering and yellowness impact on plastic pellets toxicity, sea-urchin embryo tests were conducted with pellets from three locations—near the source and at increasing distances. Strikingly, distant samples showed toxicity to invertebrate early stages, contrasting with innocuous results near the production site. Follow-up experiments highlighted the significance of weathering and yellowing in elevated pellet toxicity, with more weathered and colored pellets exhibiting toxicity. This research underscores the overlooked realm of plastic leachate impact on marine organisms while proposes that prolonged exposure of plastic pellets in the environment may lead to toxicity. Despite shedding light on potential chemical sorption as a toxicity source, further investigations are imperative to comprehend weathering, yellowing, and chemical accumulation in plastic particles.

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  • Fragments exposed to UV-radiation or weathering are often more toxic to ingesting organisms than raw plastic particles.

    “The fragments that are exposed to UV-radiation or weathering are often more toxic to ingesting organisms than the raw plastic particles [130–132].”

    From Environmental consequences of interacting effects of changes in stratospheric ozone, ultraviolet radiation, and climate: UNEP Environmental Effects Assessment Panel, Update 2024 (2025) · cites this paper as [132]

    The Discussion reports that more weathered pellets tended to have more toxic leachates than minimally weathered pellets. But the Toxicity tests methods describe exposing sea-urchin embryos to filtered leachates, not organisms ingesting plastic fragments. The paper therefore does not establish the claim about toxicity to ingesting organisms. (LLM, conf=0.88)

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Cited by

Sorted by citations

Authors
Ferrari, M., Laranjeiro, F., Sugrañes, M., Oliva, J., & Beiras, R.
Affiliations
Universidade de Vigo (ES)
Corresponding author
Beiras, Ricardo
ORCID
Venue
Scientific Reports
Publisher
Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Published
2024-05-23
Volume
14
Issue
1
Pages
11784-11784
ISSN
2045-2322 (ISSN-L)
DOI
10.1038/s41598-024-60886-x
PMC
PMC11116416
OpenAlex
W4398238972
Cited by
11
References
0
Citations by year
2026: 3 · 2025: 6 · 2024: 2
FWCI
1.10
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Licence
Locations
  • Scientific Reports (publishedVersion, cc-by)
  • PubMed Central (publishedVersion, cc-by)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
  • DOAJ (DOAJ: Directory of Open Access Journals) (submittedVersion, cc-by-sa)
Funders
Fundación Biodiversidad
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, plastic pellets, weathering, yellowness, leachate, acute toxicity, sea urchin larvae, chemical sorption, Tarragona coast, marine pollution
MeSH terms
Microplastics, Animals, Environmental Monitoring, Larva, Plastics, Sea Urchins, Water Pollutants, Chemical

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