Impact of polyethylene microplastics on coral Goniopora columna causing oxidative stress and histopathology damages

Ya-Ting Chen; De-Sing Ding; Yee Cheng Lim; Reeta Rani Singhania; Shuchen Hsieh; Chiu-Wen Chen; Shu-Ling Hsieh; Cheng-Di Dong

doi:10.1016/j.scitotenv.2022.154234

Impact of polyethylene microplastics on coral Goniopora columna causing oxidative stress and histopathology damages

Sci Total Environ. 2022 Jul 1:828:154234. doi: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2022.154234. Epub 2022 Mar 1.

Authors

Ya-Ting Chen¹, De-Sing Ding², Yee Cheng Lim³, Reeta Rani Singhania³, Shuchen Hsieh⁴, Chiu-Wen Chen³, Shu-Ling Hsieh⁵, Cheng-Di Dong⁶

Affiliations

¹ Department of Seafood Science, National Kaohsiung University of Science and Technology, Kaohsiung 81157, Taiwan.
² Department and Graduate Institute of Aquaculture, National Kaohsiung University of Science and Technology, Kaohsiung 811, Taiwan.
³ Department of Marine Environmental Engineering, National Kaohsiung University of Science and Technology, Kaohsiung 81157, Taiwan.
⁴ Department of Chemistry, National Sun Yat-sen University, Kaohsiung 80424, Taiwan.
⁵ Department of Seafood Science, National Kaohsiung University of Science and Technology, Kaohsiung 81157, Taiwan. Electronic address: slhsieh@nkust.edu.tw.
⁶ Department of Marine Environmental Engineering, National Kaohsiung University of Science and Technology, Kaohsiung 81157, Taiwan. Electronic address: cddong@nkust.edu.tw.

PMID: 35245553
DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2022.154234

Abstract

In recent years, the increase of microplastics in the sea exerted a negative impact on coral health. This study has been undertaken to analyze the impact of microplastics on corals. Here, Goniopora columna was exposed to different concentrations of polyethylene microplastics (PE-MP). The daily polyps length and adaptability were recorded. Analysis of the zooxanthellae density and antioxidant activity of coral was done after 1, 3, 5 and 7 days. Further tissue morphology and accumulation of PE-MP were analyzed. The results showed that PE-MP at different concentrations can be adsorbed on the surface of corals and enter inside corals after 7 days. PE-MP at different concentrations reduced polyps length, adaptability and cause the changes in the density of zooxanthellae to be the reason for unbalancing of corals. PE-MP at different concentrations reduced the superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity after exposure to 1 day. PE-MP increased the catalase (CAT) activity at 100 mg/L after exposure; even after reducing the concentration has the same effect. PE-MP at various concentrations increased the glutathione peroxidase (GPx) activity after exposure to 5 and 7 days. It also increased the glutathione transferase (GST) and glutathione (GSH) activity after exposure to 5 and 7 days. PE-MP at different concentrations increased the malondialdehyde (MDA) content after exposure from 1 to 7 days. Analysis of tissue morphology and tissue accumulation shows that different concentrations of PE-MP cause mesenteric atrophy, vacuole, and accumulation in the coral mesenteric. These results indicate that the PE-MP can impact the antioxidant system and hampers the function of enzymes responsible for detoxification of G. columna, increase lipid peroxide content and also cause tissue damage through accumulating in the coral mesenteric.

Keywords: Goniopora columna; Histopathology; Microplastics accumulation; Oxidative stress; Polyethylene microplastics.

MeSH terms

Animals
Anthozoa*
Antioxidants
Microplastics
Oxidative Stress
Plastics
Polyethylene / toxicity
Water Pollutants, Chemical* / analysis
Water Pollutants, Chemical* / toxicity

Substances

Antioxidants
Microplastics
Plastics
Water Pollutants, Chemical
Polyethylene