Co-Exposure of Nanopolystyrene and Other Environmental Contaminants—Their Toxic Effects on the Survival and Reproduction of Enchytraeus crypticus

• DOI: 10.3390/toxics10040193
• Publication Date: 2022-04-20T04:22:43Z
• Authors: Luís A. Mendes; Angela Barreto; Joana Santos; Mónica J. B. Amorim; Vera L. Maria
• Keywords: Ecotoxicity

Plastics in all shapes and sizes have become widespread across ecosystems due to intense anthropogenic use. As such, they can interact with other contaminants that accumulate the terrestrial environment, such as pharmaceuticals, metals or nanomaterials (NMs). These interactions potentiate combined toxic effects exposed soil organisms, hazardous long-term consequences full ecosystem. In present study, a model species, Enchytraeus crypticus (oligochaeta), was through contaminated nanopolystyrene (representative of nanoplastics (NPls)), alone combination diphenhydramine (DPH, representative pharmaceuticals), silver nitrate (AgNO3, metals) vanadium nanoparticles (VNPs, NMs). AgNO3 VNPs decreased E. reproduction at 50 mg/kg, regardless presence NPls. Moreover, same concentration, both single VNP exposures survival. On hand, DPH NPls individually caused no effect on organisms' survival reproduction. However, (10 mg/kg) 300 mg NPls/kg induced decrease reproduction, showing relevant interaction between two (synergism). Our findings indicate play role vectors for DPH, even low sub-lethal concentrations, highlighting negative impact mixtures (including NPls) systems.