Browsing by Author "Ribeiro, Francisca Inês Gomes Novais"
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- Polystyrene microplastics accumulation and biomarkers response in Scrobicularia planaPublication . Ribeiro, Francisca Inês Gomes Novais; Bebianno, Maria JoãoNowadays there is an increasing resilience of plastics as an everyday item. With the rapid increase in their production and spread, plastic debris are accumulating in the marine environment where they are fragmented into smaller pieces. One of the most produced polymer, and accordingly, more common in the marine environment is the polystyrene (PS). Ranges of organisms, especially invertebrates, are vulnerable to the exposure of microparticles. However, the impacts of microplastics (< 5mm) in the marine systems are poorly understood. The aim of this study was to assess the ecotoxicity of PS microplastics in different tissues of the peppery furrow shell Scrobicularia plana and select the most appropriate biomarkers to evaluate microplastics effects. Clams were exposed to 1 mg L-1 of PS microplastics (20 μm) for 14 days, followed by a 7 days depuration. Microplastics accumulation in gills and digestive gland was analysed through Diffuse Reflectance Infrared Fourier Transform Spectroscopy (DRIFT) and their effects by a battery of biomarkers of oxidative stress (superoxide dismutase, catalase, glutathione peroxidases and glutathione-S-transferases), genotoxicity (comet assay to evaluate DNA damage), neurotoxicity (acetylcholinesterase activity) and oxidative damage (lipid peroxidation). Results indicate that microplastics were accumulated in both organs, but more significant in the gills and were not completely eliminated after 7 days of depurarion. Microplastics accumulation induced an oxidative stress response in both tissues. The overall results on oxidative stress biomarkers indicated that short-term exposure to PS microplastics induce major perturbations, as revealed by the effects on the total antioxidant capacity, DNA damage, neurotoxicity and thus oxidative damage. The results highlighted the potential source of PS toxicity for human health and the marine environment and that S.plana is a significant target of PS microplastics ecotoxicity and can be a suitable biomonitor for assess their environmental risk.