Uptake of polystyrene microplastics by marine rotifers under different experimental conditions

Abstract Marine microplastic pollution has become one of the global problems due to the adverse effects of microplastics on marine organisms. This study investigated the uptake of (Polystyrene, PS) microplastics by marine rotifers (Brachionus plicatilis) under different microplastic concentration, exposure time and type of containers. The results showed that the ingestion of microplastics by rotifers was positively correlated with microplastic concentration. The intake reached maximum (65±5 particles/individuals, 5 mg/L; 28±11 particles/individuals, 3 mg/L) at 24 h, and then decreased over time. Moreover, the intake of microplastics in the plastic well plates was much lower than that in the glass vial. This study demonstrated that the intake of microplastics by rotifers varied with microplastics concentration and exposure time. More importantly, microplastics-related experiments using plastic containers could influence the uptake results. This work provides useful information on the interaction of microplastics with marine organisms.