Effects of Nylon Microplastic on Feeding, Lipid Accumulation, and Moulting in a Coldwater Copepod

Abstract

of nylon microplastic granules (10-30 μm) or fibers (10 × 30 μm), which are similar in shape and size to the microalgal prey. The additive chemical profiles showed the presence of stabilizers, lubricants, monomer residues, and byproducts. Prey selectivity was significantly altered in copepods exposed to nylon fibers (ANOVA, P < 0.01) resulting in a nonsignificant 40% decrease in algal ingestion rates (ANOVA, P = 0.07), and copepods exposed to nylon granules showed nonsignificant lipid accumulation (ANOVA, P = 0.62). Both microplastics triggered premature moulting in juvenile copepods (Bernoulli GLM, P < 0.01). Our results emphasize that the shape and chemical profile of a microplastic can influence its bioavailability and toxicity, drawing attention to the importance of using environmentally relevant microplastics and chemically profiling plastics used in toxicity testing.