Patrick M. Canniff, Tham C. Hoang,

Microplastic ingestion by Daphnia magna and its enhancement on algal growth,

Science of The Total Environment,
Volume 633,
2018,
Pages 500-507,
ISSN 0048-9697,

Abstract:

The rapid increase in plastic use over the last few decades
has resulted in plastic pollution in freshwater and marine ecosystems.
However, more attention has been paid to plastic pollution in marine
ecosystems than to freshwater ecosystems. This research determined
microplastic ingestion by Daphnia magna and the potential effect of
microplastics on the organism’s survival and reproduction. The study
also examined the potential of microplastics to enhance algal growth in
support of understanding effects of microplastic ingestion on the
organism. When exposed to 25, 50, and 100mg/L fluorescent green
polyethylene microbeads at size of 63–75μm, D. magna ingested
significant amount of plastic microbeads. The number of ingested beads
increased with increasing particle concentration and exposure time.
However, no significant effect on survival and reproduction was observed
although the gut of D. magna was filled with plastic microbeads. In the
algal experiment, Raphidocelis subcapitata grew more in the exposure
media with the present of plastic microbeads than without plastic
microbeads. This result suggests that plastic microbeads could serve as
substrates for R. subcapitata to grow. Raphidocelis subcapitata then
could be transferred to the organism’s gut and provided energy for
survival and reproduction. Results of the present study add to the
literature of microplastic ingestion by aquatic organisms. Caution
should be taken when interpreting hazards of microplastics based on
ingestion, such as the measurement unit and the presence of algae in the
environment.

https://drive.google.com/open?id=1nTftG0NvCpA2OD3R-RZviFxCdxewU6Bd
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2018.03.176.(http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0048969718309355)