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Cited by 51Microplastics and Plastic PollutionEnvironmental Toxicology and EcotoxicologyMarine Ecology and Invasive Species

Ingested microscopic plastics translocate from the gut cavity of juveniles of the ascidian Ciona intestinalis

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Messinetti, S., Mercurio, S., Scarì, G., Pennati, A., Pennati, R.·2019·The European Zoological Journal
DOI 10.1080/24750263.2019.1616837
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Abstract

Small plastic particles, named microplastics, are abundant in the marine environment and can be ingested by marine organisms. Species with different feeding strategies can be differently affected by the presence of microplastics. Moreover, the impact of these particles can depend on their size. In this study, we analyzed the effects of 1 µm polystyrene particles on larval and juvenile development in the ascidian Ciona intestinalis. As previously reported for 10 µm beads, smaller particles caused a delay in the growth of juveniles, even if this delay was registered only at the highest concentration tested. Instead, larval development was not affected by the presence of microplastics. Histological analysis of juveniles revealed that 1 µm particles, after ingestion, can translocate from the gut to the hemocoelic cavity in just 8 days. As a defense mechanism, plastic spheres can also be phagocytized from specific circulating cells with phagocytic activity. Microplastics confirmed their potential as a threat to marine wildlife, interfering with food uptake and growth.

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  • Smaller microbeads (1 μm) can translocate from the intestine lumen into circulating fluid in C. intestinalis.

    “Recently, we demonstrated that juveniles of the ascidian C. intestinalis could efficiently ingest polystyrene microspheres of 10 µm diameter (Messinetti et al., 2018a); moreover, smaller microbeads (1 µm) could translocate from the intestine lumen into circulating fluid (Messinetti et al., 2019).”

    From Mixotrophic flagellate ingestion boosts microplastic accumulation in ascidians (2022) · cites this paper as Messinetti et al., 2019

    The Microplastics section identifies the beads as 1 µm, and the Results and Discussion report their movement from the gut cavity into extracellular fluid in juvenile C. intestinalis. The observed passage is described as through the stomach wall into the hemocoelic cavity, not specifically from the intestinal lumen. (LLM, conf=0.87)

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Cited by

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Authors
Messinetti, S., Mercurio, S., Scarì, G., Pennati, A., & Pennati, R.
Affiliations
  • University of Milan (IT)
  • Department of Biosciences, University of Milan, Milan, Italy
Corresponding author
Mercurio, S.
ORCID
Venue
The European Zoological Journal
Publisher
Informa UK Limited
Published
2019-01-01
Volume
86
Issue
1
Pages
189-195
ISSN
  • 1125-0003 (ISSN-L)
  • 2475-0263
DOI
10.1080/24750263.2019.1616837
OpenAlex
W2947242593
Cited by
51
References
1
Citations by year
2026: 7 · 2025: 11 · 2024: 8 · 2023: 5 · 2022: 9 · 2021: 6 · 2020: 5
FWCI
1.50
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Licence
Locations
  • The European Zoological Journal (publishedVersion, cc-by)
  • Archivio Istituzionale della Ricerca (Universita Degli Studi Di Milano) (submittedVersion, cc-by)
  • DOAJ (DOAJ: Directory of Open Access Journals) (submittedVersion, cc-by-sa)
Funders
European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation program (730984)
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 › Global and Planetary Change › Marine Ecology and Invasive Species
Keywords
microplastics, polystyrene particles, Ciona intestinalis, larval development, particle size effects, phagocytosis, marine plastic pollution, growth retardation

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