title: Nano-sized polystyrene affects feeding, behavior and physiology of brine shrimp Artemia franciscana larvae.
abstract: Nano-sized polymers as polystyrene (PS) constitute one of the main challenges for marine ecosystems, since they can distribute along the whole water column affecting planktonic species and consequently disrupting the energy flow of marine ecosystems. Nowadays very little knowledge is available on the impact of nano-sized plastics on marine organisms. Therefore, the present study aims to evaluate the effects of 40nm anionic carboxylated (PS-COOH) and 50nm cationic amino (PS-NH2) polystyrene nanoparticles (PS NPs) on brine shrimp Artemia franciscana larvae. No signs of mortality were observed at 48h of exposure for both PS NPs at naplius stage but several sub-lethal effects were evident. PS-COOH (5-100μg/ml) resulted massively sequestered inside the gut lumen of larvae (48h) probably limiting food intake. Some of them were lately excreted as fecal pellets but not a full release was observed. Likewise, PS-NH2 (5-100µg/ml) accumulated in larvae (48h) but also adsorbed at the surface of sensorial antennules and appendages probably hampering larvae motility. In addition, larvae exposed to PS-NH2 undergo multiple molting events during 48h of exposure compared to controls. The activation of a defense mechanism based on a physiological process able to release toxic cationic NPs (PS-NH2) from the body can be hypothesized. The general observed accumulation of PS NPs within the gut during the 48h of exposure indicates a continuous bioavailability of nano-sized PS for planktonic species as well as a potential transfer along the trophic web. Therefore, nano-sized PS might be able to impair food uptake (feeding), behavior (motility) and physiology (multiple molting) of brine shrimp larvae with consequences not only at organism and population level but on the overall ecosystem based on the key role of zooplankton on marine food webs.
authors.affiliation: Department of Physical, Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of Siena, Italy.
authors.forename: Elisa
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Bergami
authors.affiliation: Department of Physical, Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of Siena, Italy.
authors.forename: Elena
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Bocci
authors.affiliation: Department of Physical, Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of Siena, Italy.
authors.forename: Maria Luisa
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Vannuccini
authors.affiliation: Centre for BioNano Interactions, School of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, University College Dublin, Ireland.
authors.forename: Marco
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Monopoli
authors.affiliation: Groningen Research Institute of Pharmacy, Division Pharmacokinetics, Toxicology and Targeting, University of Groningen, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Anna
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Salvati
authors.affiliation: Centre for BioNano Interactions, School of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, University College Dublin, Ireland.
authors.forename: Kenneth A
authors.initials: KA
authors.lastname: Dawson
authors.affiliation: Department of Physical, Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of Siena, Italy. Electronic address: ilaria.corsi@unisi.it.
authors.forename: Ilaria
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Corsi
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001156:Artemia / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism; D055598:Chemical Phenomena; D007814:Larva / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D053758:Nanoparticles / Q000737:chemistry / Q000633:toxicity*; D011137:Polystyrenes / Q000737:chemistry / Q000633:toxicity*; D023382:Toxicity Tests, Acute; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical / Q000737:chemistry / Q000633:toxicity; D015048:Zooplankton / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D011137:Polystyrenes; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical
keywords: Accumulation; Artemia franciscana larvae; Molting; Nanoplastics; Polystyrene; Zooplankton