Microplastics Can Inhibit the Mucus Production and Regenerative Capability of the Marine Polychaete Neanthes acuminata

Abstract

Marine sediments have been considered as bulk deposits of terrestrial and freshwater-originating plastics that support diverse invertebrate communities with crucial ecosystem functions. Despite ubiquitous distribution and essential function in the food web, knowledge of polychaetes’ physiological responses and functions under microplastic pollution scenarios is largely limited. Sediment-dwelling polychaete species Neanthes acuminata (i.e., Na) is crucial to the structure and function of marine ecosystems, particularly in bioturbation and organic decomposition. The present study investigated the impact of artificially aged and fragmented polyethylene microplastics (i.e., afPE-MPs) on growth, mucus production, and regenerative capability of Na. Our study demonstrates that afPE-MP does not directly affect the growth and survival of Na juveniles over 10 days. Instead, afPE-MP treatments could inhibit the growth pattern to a level that hinders mucus production. This study developed a regeneration assay for Na and reports for the first time that the presence of afPE-MP could adversely affect posterior regenerative capability at an environmentally relevant concentration of 0.1 g/L. The impact of afPE-MPs on physiological processes, including regeneration, could provide crucial information that would aid future researchers and policymakers in formulating aquatic conservation plans by prioritizing critically important habitats for the sustainability of ecosystem services.