Effect of microplastics exposure on Procambarius clarkii and Leptuca pugnax.

SILVEYRA, GABRIELA R.; SILVEYRA, PATRICIA; VATNICK, I.; MEDESANI, DANIEL A.; RODRIGUEZ, ENRIQUE M

Santos

Congreso; XI Congresso Brasileiro sobre Crustáceos - The Crustacean Society Summer Meeting; 2022

Sociedad Brasilera de Crustáceos - The Crustacean Society

Withthe increasing reliance on plastics as an everyday item, the environmentalimplications of plastics are a growing concern. Over time, UV radiation and mechanical abrasion generatefragmentation of plastics into very small pieces called microplastics (MP,plastic particles <5 mm). Consequently, these MP enter the marineenvironments, and due to their size and abundance, MP become bioavailable via ingestionin marine organisms, potentially causing oxidative stress.The present study wasaimed at evaluating the in vivoeffect ofMP exposureon lipidic peroxidation and antioxidant levels, in twocrustacean species:Procambarus clarkii(P.clarkii - crayfish) and Leptucapugnax(L. pugnax - crab). Adultcrayfish and crabs were exposed for one month to microfiber MP (Fluoresbrite Microparticles– Poly science®) at concentrations of 1000 or 5000 particles/mL.During the assay animals were maintained under controlled feeding, aeration,temperature, and photoperiod conditions. At the end of the exposure,hepatopancreas (HP) and hemolymph (HL) samples were harvested for analysis ofoxidative damage and total antioxidant levels using colorimetric assay kits(Cayman®). Significant differences were observed in lipidperoxidation levels in HP, estimated by TBARS, in animals exposed to MP at thelowest concentration in P. clarkiiand at the highest concentration in L.pugnax compared to control groups. A marked increase in antioxidants levelswasalso observed in the HL at both concentraions in P. clarkii, and at the highest MP concentration in L. pugnax. We conclude that MP exposureat the highest concentration tested isable to cause oxidative damage in two representative decapod crustaceans species. The currentstudy represents acontribution to deepen the knowledge of the complex effectsthat takeplace by effect of MP exposure in crustaceans