title: Intestinal alterations in European sea bass Dicentrarchus labrax (Linnaeus, 1758) exposed to microplastics: Preliminary results.
abstract: This study investigates, for the first time, the intestinal responses of European sea bass Dicentrarchus labrax chronically exposed to microplastics through ingestion. Fish (n = 162) were fed with 3 different treatment diets for 90 days: control, native polyvinyl chloride (PVC) and polluted polyvinyl chloride (PVC) pellets. Intestines were fixed and processed for histological analysis using standard techniques. Histopathological alterations were examined using a score value (from 0 to 4). The distal part of intestine in all samples proved to be the most affected by pathological alterations, showing a gradual change varying from moderate to severe related to exposure times. The histological picture that characterizes both groups especially after 90 days of exposure, suggests that the intestinal functions can be in some cases totally compromised. The worst condition is increasingly evident in the distal intestine of fish fed with polluted PVC pellets respect to control groups (p < 0.05) to different exposure times. These first results underline the need to assess the impact of increasing microplastics pollution on the marine trophic web.
authors: ISPRA, (Institute for Environmental Protection and Research) - Laboratory of Milazzo, Via dei Mille 46, 98057 Milazzo, ME, Italy. Electronic address: cristinapeda@gmail.com.
authors: Cristina
authors: C
authors: Pedà
authors: IAMC (Institute for Coastal Marine Environment), CNR, U.O.S. Messina, Spianata S. Raineri, 86, 98122 ME, Italy. Electronic address: lillycaccamo@yahoo.it.
authors: Letteria
authors: L
authors: Caccamo
authors: University of Siena, Department of Physical, Earth and Environmental Sciences, Via P.A. Mattioli 4, 53100 Siena, Italy. Electronic address: fossi@unisi.it.
authors: Maria Cristina
authors: MC
authors: Fossi
authors: Institute of Science of Food Production, CNR, U.O.S. Torino, Largo Braccini 2, 10095 Grugliasco, Italy. Electronic address: francesco.gai@ispa.cnr.it.
authors: Francesco
authors: F
authors: Gai
authors: ISPRA, Residence Marbela, Via Salvatore Puglisi 9, 90143 Palermo, Italy. Electronic address: franco.andaloro@isprambiente.it.
authors: Franco
authors: F
authors: Andaloro
authors: IAMC (Institute for Coastal Marine Environment), CNR, U.O.S. Messina, Spianata S. Raineri, 86, 98122 ME, Italy. Electronic address: lucrezia.genovese@iamc.cnr.it.
authors: Lucrezia
authors: L
authors: Genovese
authors: IAMC (Institute for Coastal Marine Environment), CNR, U.O.S. Messina, Spianata S. Raineri, 86, 98122 ME, Italy. Electronic address: anna.perdichizzi@iamc.cnr.it.
authors: Anna
authors: A
authors: Perdichizzi
authors: ISPRA, (Institute for Environmental Protection and Research) - Laboratory of Milazzo, Via dei Mille 46, 98057 Milazzo, ME, Italy. Electronic address: teresa.romeo@isprambiente.it.
authors: Teresa
authors: T
authors: Romeo
authors: IAMC (Institute for Coastal Marine Environment), CNR, U.O.S. Messina, Spianata S. Raineri, 86, 98122 ME, Italy. Electronic address: giulia.maricchiolo@iamc.cnr.it.
authors: Giulia
authors: G
authors: Maricchiolo
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001492:Bass; D005393:Fish Diseases / Q000139:chemically induced* / Q000473:pathology; D007410:Intestinal Diseases / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000473:pathology / Q000662:veterinary*; D010969:Plastics / Q000633:toxicity*; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical / Q000633:toxicity*
chemical_list: D010969:Plastics; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical
keywords: European sea bass; Histopathology; Intestinal alterations; Microplastics ingestion