Feces and molting as microplastic sinks in a mangrove crab

Brian Pichardo-Casales; Jorge Arturo Vargas-Abúndez; Gabriel M Moulatlet; Mariana V Capparelli

doi:10.1016/j.marpolbul.2024.116410

Feces and molting as microplastic sinks in a mangrove crab

Mar Pollut Bull. 2024 Apr 29:116410. doi: 10.1016/j.marpolbul.2024.116410. Online ahead of print.

Authors

Brian Pichardo-Casales¹, Jorge Arturo Vargas-Abúndez², Gabriel M Moulatlet³, Mariana V Capparelli⁴

Affiliations

¹ Escuela Nacional de Estudios Superiores Unidad Morelia, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Antigua Carretera a Pátzcuaro No. 8701, 58190 Morelia, Michoacán, Mexico.
² Unidad Académica Sisal, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Mexico.
³ Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Arizona, Tucson, USA.
⁴ Estación El Carmen, Instituto de Ciencias del Mar y Limnología, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Carretera Carmen-Puerto Real km 9.5, 24157 Ciudad del Carmen, Mexico.

PMID: 38688757
DOI: 10.1016/j.marpolbul.2024.116410

Abstract

We exposed adult individuals of the sentinel mangrove crab Minuca rapax to waterborne microplastics (MP; 53-63 μm polyethylene spheres) in a long-term experiment (56 days). Weassessed 1) MP effects on growth, survival, and food intake. and 2) the MP tissue acumulation and its reduction of body burden through feces and molting. MP exposure did not affect growth and survival. The hepatopancreas accumulated more MP than the gills and muscle. Most of the ingested MP particles were released in the feces and molts, indicating a rapid passage through the digestive tract. MP impaired food intake of M. rapax, with unknown consequences to the local populations. These results provide insights on MP translocation mechanisms, its elimination and toxicity associated with MP.

Keywords: Condition factor; Feces microplastic content; Hepatosomatic index; Polyethylene.