Microplastics enhance Daphnia magna sensitivity to the pyrethroid insecticide deltamethrin: Effects on life history traits

The aim of the study was to investigate the influence of microplastics (MPs) on the ecotoxicity of common contaminants of aquatic ecosystems. As a model contaminant, the hydrophobic pesticide deltamethrin (DM) was chosen, and its effects on life history traits of Daphnia magna were studied in the pr...

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Published in:The Science of the total environment 2020-04, Vol.714, p.136567, Article 136567
Main Authors: Felten, Vincent, Toumi, Héla, Masfaraud, Jean-François, Billoir, Elise, Camara, Baba Issa, Férard, Jean-François
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Animals
Chronic ecotoxicity
Daphnia
Daphnia magna
Deltamethrin
Ecosystem
Environmental Sciences
Female
Growth
Insecticides
Interaction
Life History Traits
Life Sciences
Microplastics
Mixture
Nitriles
Polyethylene microplastics
Pyrethrins
Reproduction
Survival
Water Pollutants, Chemical
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Summary:The aim of the study was to investigate the influence of microplastics (MPs) on the ecotoxicity of common contaminants of aquatic ecosystems. As a model contaminant, the hydrophobic pesticide deltamethrin (DM) was chosen, and its effects on life history traits of Daphnia magna were studied in the presence or absence of polyethylene MPs. Commercialized DM and MPs obtained as dry powder were used in the experiment. According the manufacturer (Cospheric, Santa Barbara, CA, USA) MPs were spherical (1–4 μm in diameter), had a density of 0.96 g/cm−3 and were without any solvent. Three concentrations of polyethylene MPs were tested (0, 1, 10 mg/L) with two realistic concentrations of DM (0 and 40 ng/L) and a solvent control (acetone). During the 21 d experiment, D. magna neonates were individually exposed to the treatments, and the effects of MPs and DM alone and together were evaluated by assessing survival, number of cumulative molts, days to first brood, number of broods, number of neonates per surviving adult, and body length. Significant detrimental effects on survival were only observed for the two mixture treatments. DM alone (40 ng/L) delayed the days to first brood and reduced the number of neonates per surviving adult, whereas MPs alone (10 mg/L) induced significant reduction in the number of juveniles by surviving adults. The combined exposure to DM and MPs clearly had a synergistic effect on survival, brood number, and number of neonates per surviving female. For example, compared to exposure to 40 ng/L of DM alone, the addition of 1 mg/L of MPs resulted in a 51.1% reduction in number of neonates per surviving female and a 46% reduction in brood number. These results suggest the potential drastic effects of this kind of mixed exposure on daphnid populations, which are key components of freshwater food webs. [Display omitted] •Deltamethrin (40 ng/L) delayed first brood and reduced fertility of D. magna.•Spherical polyethylene microplastics (1 mg/L, 1–4 μm) reduced fertility of D. magna.•Effect of deltamethrin was largely magnified by microplastics (2-ways ANOVA).•Synergy was reported for survival, number of broods and fertility.
ISSN:0048-9697
1879-1026
DOI:10.1016/j.scitotenv.2020.136567