Chemical characteristics and toxicological effects of leachates from plastics under simulated seawater and fish digest

Shu-Qing Qiu; Guo-Yong Huang; Gui-Zhen Fang; Xiao-Pei Li; Dong-Qiao Lei; Wen-Jun Shi; Lingtian Xie; Guang-Guo Ying

doi:10.1016/j.watres.2021.117892

Chemical characteristics and toxicological effects of leachates from plastics under simulated seawater and fish digest

Water Res. 2022 Feb 1:209:117892. doi: 10.1016/j.watres.2021.117892. Epub 2021 Nov 25.

Authors

Shu-Qing Qiu¹, Guo-Yong Huang², Gui-Zhen Fang¹, Xiao-Pei Li¹, Dong-Qiao Lei¹, Wen-Jun Shi¹, Lingtian Xie¹, Guang-Guo Ying¹

Affiliations

¹ Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Chemical Pollution and Environmental Safety and MOE Key Laboratory of Theoretical Chemistry of Environment, SCNU Environmental Research Institute, South China Normal University, Guangzhou 510006, China; School of Environment, South China Normal University, University Town, Guangzhou 510006, China.
² Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Chemical Pollution and Environmental Safety and MOE Key Laboratory of Theoretical Chemistry of Environment, SCNU Environmental Research Institute, South China Normal University, Guangzhou 510006, China; School of Environment, South China Normal University, University Town, Guangzhou 510006, China. Electronic address: guoyong.huang@m.scnu.edu.cn.

PMID: 34861434
DOI: 10.1016/j.watres.2021.117892

Abstract

In recent years, the ecological risks of plastics to marine environments and organisms have attracted increasing attention, especially the leachates from plastics. However, a comprehensive knowledge about the leaching characteristics and subsequent toxicological effects of leachates is still sparse. In this study, 15 different plastic products were immersed in simulated seawater and fish digest for 16 h. The leachates were analyzed through non-target and target analyses and their toxicological signatures were assessed by bioassays. In total, 240 additives were identified from the plastic leachates, among which plasticizers represented the most (16.7%), followed by antioxidants (8.7%) and flame retardants (7.1%). Approximately 40% of plastic leachates exhibited significant inhibitory effects on the bioluminescence using a recombinant luminescent assay. In addition, both the hyperactive and hypoactive behaviors were displayed in the larvae of marine medaka (Oryzias melastigma) exposed to some plastic leachates. In general, the number and amount of identified compounds under simulated fish digest were less than those under simulated seawater. However, the simulated fish digest leachates triggered higher toxicity. Redundancy analysis demonstrated that identified additives did not adequately explain the toxicological effects. Future research should focus on the identification of more additives in the plastic leachates and their potential ecological risks.

Keywords: Bioassays; Leachates; Non-target and target analyses; Plastic additives; Toxicity.