Evidence of microplastic-mediated transfer of PCB-153 to sea urchin tissues using radiotracers
Pyl, M.; Taylor, A.; Oberhänsli, F.; Swarzenski, P.; Besson, M.; Danis, B.; Metian, M. (2022). Evidence of microplastic-mediated transfer of PCB-153 to sea urchin tissues using radiotracers. Mar. Pollut. Bull. 185(Part B): 114322. https://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.marpolbul.2022.114322
The present study reports the first experimental microplastic-mediated transfer of a key PCB congener into adult specimens of the sea urchin Paracentrotus lividus. Three experiments were conducted to assess whether 14C-PCB-153 adsorbed onto negatively buoyant microplastics (MPs) (500–600 μm) is bioavailable to the sea urchin: (1) exposure to a low concentration of 14C-PCB-153 sorbed onto a high number of virgin MPs (“lowPCB highMP” experiment), (2) exposure to a high concentration of 14C-PCB-153 sorbed onto a relatively low number of virgin MPs (“highPCB lowMP” experiment), and (3) exposure to a low concentration of 14C-PCB-153 sorbed onto a relatively low number of aged MP (“lowPCB lowMP” experiment). Results showed that the transfer of 14C-PCB-153 from MPs to sea urchin tissues occurred in each of the three 15-day experiments, suggesting that MPs located on the seafloor may act as vectors of PCB-153 to sea urchins even during short-term exposure events.
All data in the Integrated Marine Information System (IMIS) is subject to the VLIZ privacy policy
