Influence of microplastics on the toxicity of metals and polycyclic aromatic
hydrocarbons to the common goby Pomatoschistus microps: biomarkers and
predatory behaviour
L. G. Luís1,2, L. C. Sá1,2, L. Guilhermino1,2*
1
ICBAS – Institute of Biomedical Sciences of Abel Salazar, University of Porto, Department of
Populations Studies, Laboratory of Ecotoxicology, Rua de Jorge Viterbo Ferreira, 228, 4050-313
Porto, Portugal
1
CIIMAR/CIMAR-LA – Interdisciplinary Centre of Marine and Environmental Research, Laboratory
of Ecotoxicology and Ecology, University of Porto, Rua dos Bragas, 289, 4050-123 Porto, Portugal
*Presenting author: lguilher@icbas.up.pt
Microplastics have been found to be widespread environmental contaminants as the result of their
high use by the modern society and fragmentation of wider plastic materials. They are considered
emerging contaminants of high concern not only due to their wide use but also because they are
persistent in the environment, they may contained other toxic chemicals incorporated during their
manufacture for specific purposes or that are adsorbed after their entrance into environmental
compartments, they have been found to be taken as food by several species leading to starvation,
and they have been found to influence the toxicity of other environmental contaminants of concern.
Thus, the main goal of the present study was to investigate the adverse effects of exposure to
microplastics on the common goby Pomatoschistus microps, a keystone species in several
estuarine ecosystems of Europe, and the ability of microplastics to modify the biotransformation and
toxicity of other common estuarine contaminants. In a first series of experiments, early 0+ P. microps
juveniles from two wild populations inhabiting estuaries with different types and levels of
predominant environmental contaminants were exposed to different types of polyethylene
microspheres, in the presence and absence of Artemia parthenogenetica that was used as prey
(and also as control treatment). Then, bioassays to investigate the combined effects of the
simultaneous exposure to (i) microplastics and metals (chromium) and (ii) microplastics and
polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (fluoranthene) were carried out, using predatory behaviour, and
biomarkers (neurotoxicity, oxidative stress, and energy related ones). Overall, the results indicated
that fish confound plastic microspheres with food, with colour likely being a discriminating factor,
and that microplastics may interact with the biotransformation and/or toxicity of chromium and
fluoranthene to 0+ fish.
Keywords: microplastics, interactions PAHs and metals, predatory behaviour, biomarkers
Acknowledgements: We thank to Dr. Miguel Oliveira for his valuable contribution in the
standardization of some of the methods used in the present study. This research was supported by
the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) through the COMPETE - Operational
Competitiveness Programme and national funds through FCT – Foundation for Science and
Technology, under the projects “SIGNAL - Effects of pollution on estuarine zooplanktonzooplanktivorous fish ecological interactions in relation to climate changes” (FCT Ref.: PTDC/AACAMB/110331/2009; FCOMP-01-0124-FEDER-013876), and “PEst-C/MAR/LA0015/2011”.