TY - JOUR
T1 - Adverse impacts of high-density microplastics on juvenile growth and behaviour of the endangered tri-spine horseshoe crab Tachypleus tridentatus
AU - Fang, James Kar-Hei
AU - Tse, Tsz Wan
AU - Maboloc, Elizaldy Acebu
AU - Leung, Ryan Kar-Long
AU - Leung, Matthew Ming-Lok
AU - Wong, Max Wang-Tang
AU - Chui, Apple Pui-Yi
AU - Wang, Youji
AU - Hu, Menghong
AU - Kwan, Kit Yue
AU - Cheung, Siu Gin
PY - 2023/2
Y1 - 2023/2
N2 - The impacts of high-density microplastics, namely polyamine 6,6 (nylon), polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA) and polyethylene terephthalate (PET), on growth and behaviour of the endangered tri-spine horseshoe crab Tachypleus tridentatus were investigated for 100 days. Negative changes in wet weight and prosomal width of the juveniles were observed in all treatments of microplastics, but significant difference was only detected in prosomal width between control and PMMA. T. tridentatus became significantly less active upon exposure to nylon and PET. The extent of burrowing by T. tridentatus did not significantly differ among the treatments but was overall significantly reduced towards day 100. T. tridentatus exposed to PET significantly showed the lowest survival probability (30 %), compared to the other treatments (70–90 %). In conclusion, high-density microplastics compromised growth and behaviour of juvenile horseshoe crabs. Among the polymers that were tested, PET was considered more harmful and associated with higher mortality.
AB - The impacts of high-density microplastics, namely polyamine 6,6 (nylon), polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA) and polyethylene terephthalate (PET), on growth and behaviour of the endangered tri-spine horseshoe crab Tachypleus tridentatus were investigated for 100 days. Negative changes in wet weight and prosomal width of the juveniles were observed in all treatments of microplastics, but significant difference was only detected in prosomal width between control and PMMA. T. tridentatus became significantly less active upon exposure to nylon and PET. The extent of burrowing by T. tridentatus did not significantly differ among the treatments but was overall significantly reduced towards day 100. T. tridentatus exposed to PET significantly showed the lowest survival probability (30 %), compared to the other treatments (70–90 %). In conclusion, high-density microplastics compromised growth and behaviour of juvenile horseshoe crabs. Among the polymers that were tested, PET was considered more harmful and associated with higher mortality.
KW - Hong Kong
KW - Mortality
KW - Mudflat
KW - Nylon
KW - PET
KW - PMMA
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85146454512&partnerID=8YFLogxK
UR - https://www.scopus.com/record/pubmetrics.uri?eid=2-s2.0-85146454512&origin=recordpage
U2 - 10.1016/j.marpolbul.2022.114535
DO - 10.1016/j.marpolbul.2022.114535
M3 - RGC 21 - Publication in refereed journal
SN - 0025-326X
VL - 187
JO - Marine Pollution Bulletin
JF - Marine Pollution Bulletin
M1 - 114535
ER -