Impacts of conventional and biodegradable microplastics on juvenile Lates calcarifer: Bioaccumulation, antioxidant response, microbiome, and proteome alteration

• Published in: Marine pollution bulletin 2022-06, Vol.179, p.113744-113744, Article 113744
• Main Authors: Xie, Mujiao, Xu, Peng, Zhou, Weiguo, Xu, Xiangrong, Li, Hengxiang, He, Weihong, Yue, Weizhong, Zhang, Li, Ding, Dewen, Suo, Anning
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Antioxidant response; Antioxidants; Bioaccumulation; Biodegradability; Biodegradation; Biota; Fish; Glutathione; Glutathione reductase; Homeostasis; Ingestion; Intestinal flora; Intestine; Juveniles; Lates calcarifer; Marine debris; Marine organisms; Microbiome; Microbiomes; Microorganisms; Microplastics; Modulation; Polyethylene; Polyethylenes; Proteins; Proteome; Proteomes; Reductases
• ISSN: 0025-326X; 1879-3363
• DOI: 10.1016/j.marpolbul.2022.113744

Discarded plastic bag is a main component of marine debris, posing potential threats to marine biota. This study was conducted to assess the potential effects of microplastics on juvenile Lates calcarifer. Fish were exposed via diet to two microplastic types from conventional polyethylene (PE) and biodegradable (Bio) plastic bags for 21 days. Antioxidative enzymes activity, intestinal microbiome and proteome were determined. PE and Bio microplastics were found to accumulate in gastrointestinal tracts, and no mortality was observed. Microplastics exposure did not induce significant antioxidant response except for the glutathione reductase (GR) modulation. Intestinal microbiome diversity decreased significantly in PE group based on Simpson index. Both types of microplastics induced proteome modulation by down-regulating proteins associated with immune homeostasis. Bio microplastics maintained higher intestinal microbial diversity and induced more proteins alteration than PE microplastics. This study provides toxicological insights into the impacts of conventional and biodegradable microplastics on juvenile L. calcarifer. [Display omitted] •Both polyethylene and biodegradable microplastics could be consumed by juvenile Lates calcarifer.•Short-term microplastics exposure did not cause significant antioxidant response except for glutathione reductase modulation.•Polyethylene microplastics caused intestinal microbiome diversity reduction.•Both types of microplastics caused liver proteome alteration.•Few significant differences were observed between different microplastics.