Microplastic toxicity in aquatic organisms across phylogeny

Area of Science:

• Environmental Toxicology
• Ecotoxicology
• Aquatic Biology

Background:

• Microplastic (MP) contamination is a growing threat to aquatic ecosystems globally.
• MPs accumulate in aquatic organisms, from invertebrates to vertebrates, causing significant toxicological impacts.
• Previous research has focused on MP distribution, characteristics, and bioaccumulation within specific species or environments.

Purpose of the Study:

• To provide a comprehensive, cross-phylum assessment of the toxicological outcomes of microplastic exposure in aquatic organisms.
• To collate evidence on MP-induced toxic responses across diverse aquatic phyla, including invertebrates and vertebrates.
• To highlight the role of MPs as vectors for xenobiotics and pathogens, amplifying their ecological risk.

Main Methods:

• Systematic review of existing literature on microplastic toxicity in aquatic biota.
• Phylogenetic analysis of toxicological effects across different aquatic phyla (invertebrates, protochordates, chordates).
• Comparative analysis of MP toxicity and pollutant vector effects across species, considering evolutionary toxicology perspectives.

Main Results:

• Microplastics induce a range of toxic effects, including genotoxicity, reproductive toxicity, behavioral alterations, and oxidative stress in aquatic metazoans.
• MPs act as significant vectors for harmful xenobiotics and pathogenic microorganisms, increasing toxicity risks.
• The review presents a holistic, cross-phylum understanding of MP toxicity, unlike previous single-phylum focused reviews.

Conclusions:

• Microplastic pollution poses a severe, multi-faceted threat to aquatic ecosystems, impacting organisms across the entire phylogenetic spectrum.
• Understanding MP toxicity across phyla is crucial for effective ecosystem health assessment and conservation strategies.
• This review establishes a foundational, cross-phylum knowledge base for future research in aquatic microplastic toxicology and evolutionary impacts.