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Microplastics affect assimilation efficiency in the freshwater amphipod Gammarus fossarum

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Abstract

An important issue in assessing microplastics is whether this newly emerging type of pollution affects freshwater invertebrates. This study was designed to examine the interactions between the amphipod Gammarus fossarum and two types of microplastics. To determine the ingestion and egestion of polyamide (PA) fibres (500 × 20 μm), amphipods were exposed to four concentrations (100, 540, 2680, 13,380 PA fibres cm−2 base area of glass beakers) and four exposure times (0.5, 2, 8, 32 h) as well as four post-exposure times (1, 2, 4, 16 h). We demonstrate a positive correlation between concentration and ingestion of PA fibres. Fibres were found in the gut after 0.5 h of exposure. Egestion was rapid and the digestive tract was empty 16 h after exposure ended. To investigate whether polystyrene (PS) beads (1.6 μm) can be taken up in the epithelial cells of the gut and the midgut glands, four concentrations (500, 2500, 12,500, 60,000 PS beads mL−1) were tested. Cryosections exhibited fluorescent PS beads only within the gut lumen. In a 28-day feeding experiment with both, fibres and beads, we studied the amphipod’s feeding rate, assimilation efficiency and wet weight change. The exposure to PA fibres (2680 PA fibres cm−2 base area of glass beakers) significantly reduced the assimilation efficiency of the animals. While both tested polymer types are ingested and egested, PA fibres can impair the health and ecological functions of freshwater amphipods under continuous exposure.

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Acknowledgements

We thank Gerhard Schulz (Nuertingen-Geislingen University, Reutlingen) for providing the two microplastics, Philipp E. Hirsch for support with statistical analysis, as well as him and Thomas Mani for helpful discussions. We would also like to acknowledge the assistance in laboratory procedures by Heidi Schiffer, Nicole Seiler, Sandrine Straub and Attila Ruegg (University of Basel). Michael Stachowitsch and Rachelle Uhlmann provided language assistance.

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  1. Man-Society-Environment (Programme MGU), Department of Environmental Sciences, University of Basel, Vesalgasse 1, 4051, Basel, Switzerland

    Pascal Blarer & Patricia Burkhardt-Holm

  2. Department of Biological Sciences, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Canada

    Patricia Burkhardt-Holm

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  1. Pascal Blarer
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  2. Patricia Burkhardt-Holm
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Correspondence to Patricia Burkhardt-Holm.

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Gammarids are not subject to the Swiss Animal Welfare Act.

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Blarer, P., Burkhardt-Holm, P. Microplastics affect assimilation efficiency in the freshwater amphipod Gammarus fossarum . Environ Sci Pollut Res 23, 23522–23532 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-016-7584-2

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