Assessment of the Ecotoxicity of Nanoplastics

Abstract

The presence of micro- and nanoplastics in aquatic environments (including freshwater and marine ecosystems as well as their sediments) is becoming an increasingly serious problem worldwide. A wide range of studies have addressed the ecological effects these particles pose on biota. The main exposure pathway are food chains, e.g. under laboratory conditions these particles accumulate in the brain tissues of fish that feed on zooplankton causing brain damage. These studies, however, report mainly on the physical effects. In order to establish actual ecotoxicological effects, nanoplastics (50 nm in diameter) were assessed using the Vibrio fischeri bioluminescence inhibition bioassay (VFBIA). Our results showed that even environmentally relevant concentrations might trigger ecotoxicological effects. This study can be considered to be a first screening, however, results indicate the need for more complex testing on a battery of aquatic test organisms.