Effect of an antidepressant on aquatic ecosystems in the presence of microplastics: A mesocosm study

Nandini Vasantha Raman; Berte M. Gebreyohanes Belay; Josie South; Tarryn L. Botha; Josephine Pegg; Dumisani Khosa; Lubabalo Mofu; Gina Walsh; Martine S. Jordaan; Albert A. Koelmans; Sven Teurlincx; Nico R. Helmsing; Nina de Jong; Ellen van Donk; Miquel Lürling; Victor Wepener; Tânia V. Fernandes; Lisette N. de Senerpont Domis

doi:10.1016/j.envpol.2024.124439

Effect of an antidepressant on aquatic ecosystems in the presence of microplastics: A mesocosm study

Nandini Vasantha Raman
, Berte M. Gebreyohanes Belay^*
, Josie South
, Tarryn L. Botha
, Josephine Pegg
, Dumisani Khosa
, Lubabalo Mofu
, Gina Walsh
, Martine S. Jordaan
, Albert A. Koelmans
, Sven Teurlincx
, Nico R. Helmsing
, Nina de Jong
, Ellen van Donk
, Miquel Lürling
, Victor Wepener
, Tânia V. Fernandes
, Lisette N. de Senerpont Domis

^*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › Academic › peer-review

Abstract

Emerging pollutants, such as pharmaceuticals and microplastics have become a pressing concern due to their widespread presence and potential impacts on ecological systems. To assess the ecosystem-level effects of these pollutants within a multi-stressor context, we simulated real-world conditions by exposing a near-natural multi-trophic aquatic food web to a gradient of environmentally relevant concentrations of fluoxetine and microplastics in large mesocosms over a period of more than three months. We measured the biomass and abundance of different trophic groups, as well as ecological functions such as nutrient availability and decomposition rate. To explore the mechanisms underlying potential community and ecosystem-level effects, we also performed behavioral assays focusing on locomotion parameters as a response variable in three species: Daphnia magna (zooplankton prey), Chaoborus flavicans larvae (invertebrate pelagic predator of zooplankton) and Asellus aquaticus (benthic macroinvertebrate), using water from the mesocosms. Our mesocosm results demonstrate that presence of microplastics governs the response in phytoplankton biomass, with a weak non-monotonic dose-response relationship due to the interaction between microplastics and fluoxetine. However, exposure to fluoxetine evoked a strong non-monotonic dose-response in zooplankton abundance and microbial decomposition rate of plant material. In the behavioral assays, the locomotion of zooplankton prey D. magna showed a similar non-monotonic response primarily induced by fluoxetine. Its predator C. flavicans, however, showed a significant non-monotonic response governed by both microplastics and fluoxetine. The behavior of the decomposer A. aquaticus significantly decreased at higher fluoxetine concentrations, potentially leading to reduced decomposition rates near the sediment. Our study demonstrates that effects observed upon short-term exposure result in more pronounced ecosystem-level effects following chronic exposure.

Original language	English
Article number	124439
Number of pages	11
Journal	Environmental Pollution
Volume	357
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envpol.2024.124439
Publication status	Published - 15 Sept 2024

Bibliographical note

Publisher Copyright:
© 2024 The Authors

Funding

We thank Dennis Waasdorp, Erik Reichman and Noa Rutgers for their valuable assistance in setting up Limnotron experiments and in zooplankton determination. This study was partially funded by Transnational Access granted to JS, TLB, JP, DK, LM, GW, MSJ through the H2020-INFRAIA AQUACOSM project (Grant agreement ID: 731065) . JS, TLB, JP, DK, LM, GW & MSJ also thank National Research Foundation-South African Institute for Aquatic Biodiversity for providing financial support and advances. NVR was funded by the Royal Dutch Academy of Sciences (NIOO-KNAW) . B.M.G.B. was funded by the Gieskes Strijbis Fund (Microplastics in the foodweb) and the Royal Dutch Academy of Sciences (NIOO-KNAW) . And H2020-INFRAIA AQUACOSM project (Grant agreement ID: 731065) is funded by European Commission, Directorate -General for Research & Innovation.

Funders	Funder number
Gieskes Strijbis Fund
European Commission
South African Institute for Aquatic Biodiversity
Nederlands Instituut voor Ecologie
Directorate-General for Research and Innovation
MSJ
National Research Foundation
Royal Dutch Academy of Sciences
H2020-INFRAIA	731065

Keywords

Aquatic ecosystem functioning
Fluoxetine
Microplastics
Multiple stressors
Non-monotonic responses
Pharmaceutical

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10.1016/j.envpol.2024.124439Licence: CC BY

1-s2.0-S0269749124011539-mainFinal published version, 4.78 MBLicence: CC BY

Cite this

Vasantha Raman, N., Gebreyohanes Belay, B. M., South, J., Botha, T. L., Pegg, J., Khosa, D., Mofu, L., Walsh, G., Jordaan, M. S., Koelmans, A. A., Teurlincx, S., Helmsing, N. R., de Jong, N., van Donk, E., Lürling, M., Wepener, V., Fernandes, T. V., & de Senerpont Domis, L. N. (2024). Effect of an antidepressant on aquatic ecosystems in the presence of microplastics: A mesocosm study. Environmental Pollution, 357, Article 124439. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envpol.2024.124439

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abstract = "Emerging pollutants, such as pharmaceuticals and microplastics have become a pressing concern due to their widespread presence and potential impacts on ecological systems. To assess the ecosystem-level effects of these pollutants within a multi-stressor context, we simulated real-world conditions by exposing a near-natural multi-trophic aquatic food web to a gradient of environmentally relevant concentrations of fluoxetine and microplastics in large mesocosms over a period of more than three months. We measured the biomass and abundance of different trophic groups, as well as ecological functions such as nutrient availability and decomposition rate. To explore the mechanisms underlying potential community and ecosystem-level effects, we also performed behavioral assays focusing on locomotion parameters as a response variable in three species: Daphnia magna (zooplankton prey), Chaoborus flavicans larvae (invertebrate pelagic predator of zooplankton) and Asellus aquaticus (benthic macroinvertebrate), using water from the mesocosms. Our mesocosm results demonstrate that presence of microplastics governs the response in phytoplankton biomass, with a weak non-monotonic dose-response relationship due to the interaction between microplastics and fluoxetine. However, exposure to fluoxetine evoked a strong non-monotonic dose-response in zooplankton abundance and microbial decomposition rate of plant material. In the behavioral assays, the locomotion of zooplankton prey D. magna showed a similar non-monotonic response primarily induced by fluoxetine. Its predator C. flavicans, however, showed a significant non-monotonic response governed by both microplastics and fluoxetine. The behavior of the decomposer A. aquaticus significantly decreased at higher fluoxetine concentrations, potentially leading to reduced decomposition rates near the sediment. Our study demonstrates that effects observed upon short-term exposure result in more pronounced ecosystem-level effects following chronic exposure.",

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doi = "10.1016/j.envpol.2024.124439",

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Vasantha Raman, N, Gebreyohanes Belay, BM, South, J, Botha, TL, Pegg, J, Khosa, D, Mofu, L, Walsh, G, Jordaan, MS, Koelmans, AA, Teurlincx, S, Helmsing, NR, de Jong, N, van Donk, E, Lürling, M, Wepener, V, Fernandes, TV & de Senerpont Domis, LN 2024, 'Effect of an antidepressant on aquatic ecosystems in the presence of microplastics: A mesocosm study', Environmental Pollution, vol. 357, 124439. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envpol.2024.124439

TY - JOUR

T1 - Effect of an antidepressant on aquatic ecosystems in the presence of microplastics

T2 - A mesocosm study

AU - Vasantha Raman, Nandini

AU - Gebreyohanes Belay, Berte M.

AU - South, Josie

AU - Botha, Tarryn L.

AU - Pegg, Josephine

AU - Khosa, Dumisani

AU - Mofu, Lubabalo

AU - Walsh, Gina

AU - Jordaan, Martine S.

AU - Koelmans, Albert A.

AU - Teurlincx, Sven

AU - Helmsing, Nico R.

AU - de Jong, Nina

AU - van Donk, Ellen

AU - Lürling, Miquel

AU - Wepener, Victor

AU - Fernandes, Tânia V.

AU - de Senerpont Domis, Lisette N.

PY - 2024/9/15

Y1 - 2024/9/15

N2 - Emerging pollutants, such as pharmaceuticals and microplastics have become a pressing concern due to their widespread presence and potential impacts on ecological systems. To assess the ecosystem-level effects of these pollutants within a multi-stressor context, we simulated real-world conditions by exposing a near-natural multi-trophic aquatic food web to a gradient of environmentally relevant concentrations of fluoxetine and microplastics in large mesocosms over a period of more than three months. We measured the biomass and abundance of different trophic groups, as well as ecological functions such as nutrient availability and decomposition rate. To explore the mechanisms underlying potential community and ecosystem-level effects, we also performed behavioral assays focusing on locomotion parameters as a response variable in three species: Daphnia magna (zooplankton prey), Chaoborus flavicans larvae (invertebrate pelagic predator of zooplankton) and Asellus aquaticus (benthic macroinvertebrate), using water from the mesocosms. Our mesocosm results demonstrate that presence of microplastics governs the response in phytoplankton biomass, with a weak non-monotonic dose-response relationship due to the interaction between microplastics and fluoxetine. However, exposure to fluoxetine evoked a strong non-monotonic dose-response in zooplankton abundance and microbial decomposition rate of plant material. In the behavioral assays, the locomotion of zooplankton prey D. magna showed a similar non-monotonic response primarily induced by fluoxetine. Its predator C. flavicans, however, showed a significant non-monotonic response governed by both microplastics and fluoxetine. The behavior of the decomposer A. aquaticus significantly decreased at higher fluoxetine concentrations, potentially leading to reduced decomposition rates near the sediment. Our study demonstrates that effects observed upon short-term exposure result in more pronounced ecosystem-level effects following chronic exposure.

AB - Emerging pollutants, such as pharmaceuticals and microplastics have become a pressing concern due to their widespread presence and potential impacts on ecological systems. To assess the ecosystem-level effects of these pollutants within a multi-stressor context, we simulated real-world conditions by exposing a near-natural multi-trophic aquatic food web to a gradient of environmentally relevant concentrations of fluoxetine and microplastics in large mesocosms over a period of more than three months. We measured the biomass and abundance of different trophic groups, as well as ecological functions such as nutrient availability and decomposition rate. To explore the mechanisms underlying potential community and ecosystem-level effects, we also performed behavioral assays focusing on locomotion parameters as a response variable in three species: Daphnia magna (zooplankton prey), Chaoborus flavicans larvae (invertebrate pelagic predator of zooplankton) and Asellus aquaticus (benthic macroinvertebrate), using water from the mesocosms. Our mesocosm results demonstrate that presence of microplastics governs the response in phytoplankton biomass, with a weak non-monotonic dose-response relationship due to the interaction between microplastics and fluoxetine. However, exposure to fluoxetine evoked a strong non-monotonic dose-response in zooplankton abundance and microbial decomposition rate of plant material. In the behavioral assays, the locomotion of zooplankton prey D. magna showed a similar non-monotonic response primarily induced by fluoxetine. Its predator C. flavicans, however, showed a significant non-monotonic response governed by both microplastics and fluoxetine. The behavior of the decomposer A. aquaticus significantly decreased at higher fluoxetine concentrations, potentially leading to reduced decomposition rates near the sediment. Our study demonstrates that effects observed upon short-term exposure result in more pronounced ecosystem-level effects following chronic exposure.

KW - Aquatic ecosystem functioning

KW - Fluoxetine

KW - Microplastics

KW - Multiple stressors

KW - Non-monotonic responses

KW - Pharmaceutical

UR - https://www.scopus.com/pages/publications/85197031745

U2 - 10.1016/j.envpol.2024.124439

DO - 10.1016/j.envpol.2024.124439

M3 - Article

C2 - 38942279

AN - SCOPUS:85197031745

SN - 0269-7491

VL - 357

JO - Environmental Pollution

JF - Environmental Pollution

M1 - 124439

ER -

Effect of an antidepressant on aquatic ecosystems in the presence of microplastics: A mesocosm study

Abstract

Bibliographical note

Funding

Keywords

Access to Document

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Corrigendum to <Effect of an antidepressant on aquatic ecosystems in the presence of microplastics: A mesocosm study> [Environ. Pollut. 357 (2024) 124439] (Environmental Pollution (2024) 357, (S0269749124011539), (10.1016/j.envpol.2024.124439))

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