The bioadhesion and effects of microplastics and natural particles on growth, cell viability, physiology, and elemental content of an aquatic macrophyte Elodea canadensis

Polechońska, Ludmiła (author), Putar, Ula (author), Sokołowska, Katarzyna (author), Kalčíková, Gabriela (author)

Microplastics in the aquatic environment can interact with aquatic plants, but the consequences of these interactions are poorly understood. Therefore, the aim of this study was to investigate the effects of microplastics commonly found in the environment, namely polyethylene (PE) fragments, polyacrylonitrile (PAN) fibres, tire wear (TW) particles under a relevant environmental concentration (5000 particles/L) on the growth, cell viability, physiology, and elemental content of the aquatic macrophyte Elodea canadensis. The effects of microplastics were compared to those of natural wood particles. The results showed that all types of microplastics adhered to plant tissues, but the effect on leaves (leaf damage area) was greatest at PE > PAN > TW, while the effect of natural particles was comparable to that of the control. None of the microplastics studied affected plant growth, lipid, carbohydrate, or protein content. Electron transport system activity was significantly higher in plants exposed to PAN fibres and PE fragments, but also when exposed to natural particles, while chlorophyll a content was negatively affected only by PE fragments and TW particles. Elemental analysis of plant tissue showed that in some cases PAN fibres and TW particles caused increased metal content. The results of this study indicated that aquatic macrophytes may respond differently to exposure to microplastics than to natural particles, likely through the combined effects of mechanical damage and chemical stress.

• Language: English
• Keywords: microplastics, adhesion, bioadhesion, macrophytes, toxicity, adsorption, aquatic plants, ecotoxicity, freshwaters, plastic pollution
• Work type: Article
• Typology: 1.01 - Original Scientific Article
• Organization: FKKT - Faculty of Chemistry and Chemical Technology
• Publication status: Published
• Publication version: Version of Record
• Year: 2023
• Number of pages: 10 str.
• Numbering: Vol. 902, art. 166023
• PID: 20.500.12556/RUL-149973
• UDC: 504.5:678
• ISSN on article: 0048-9697
• DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.166023
• COBISS.SI-ID: 162028803
• Publication date in RUL: 12.09.2023

Record is a part of a journal

• Title: Science of the total environment
• Shortened title: Sci. total environ.
• Publisher: Elsevier
• ISSN: 0048-9697
• COBISS.SI-ID: 26369024

Licences

• License: CC BY-NC-ND 4.0, Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International
• Link: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/
• Description: The most restrictive Creative Commons license. This only allows people to download and share the work for no commercial gain and for no other purposes.

Secondary language

• Language: Slovenian
• Keywords: mikroplastika, adhezija, bioadhezija, makrofiti, strupenost