Valentine, Katey, Hughes, Claire orcid.org/0000-0002-9512-8052 and Boxall, Alistair orcid.org/0000-0003-3823-7516 (2024) Plastic Litter Emits the Foraging Infochemical Dimethyl Sulfide after Submersion in Freshwater Rivers. Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry. pp. 1485-1496. ISSN 1552-8618
Abstract
Plastic pollution is widespread throughout aquatic environments globally, with many organisms known to interact with and ingest plastic. In marine environments, microbial biofilms that form on plastic surfaces can produce the odorous compound dimethyl sulfide (DMS), which is a known foraging cue. This has been shown to increase the ingestion of plastic by some invertebrates and therefore act as a biological factor which influences the risks of plastic to marine ecosystems. In freshwater however, the production of DMS has been largely overlooked, despite the known sensitivity of some freshwater species to this compound. To address this gap, the present study analyzed the production of DMS by biofilms which formed on low-density polyethylene and polylactic acid films after 3 and 6 weeks of submersion in either a rural or an urban United Kingdom river. Using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry, the production of DMS by these biofilms was consistently identified. The amount of DMS produced varied significantly across river locations and materials, with surfaces in the urban river generally producing a stronger signal and plastics producing up to seven times more DMS than glass control surfaces. Analysis of biofilm weight and photosynthetic pigment content indicated differences in biofilm composition across conditions and suggested that DMS production was largely driven by nonphotosynthetic taxa. For the first time this work has documented the production of DMS by plastic litter after submersion in freshwater rivers. Further work is now needed to determine if, as seen in marine systems, this production of DMS can encourage the interaction of freshwater organisms with plastic litter and therefore operate as a biological risk factor in the impacts of plastic on freshwater environments. Environ Toxicol Chem 2024;43:1485-1496. © 2024 The Authors. Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry published by Wiley Periodicals LLC on behalf of SETAC.
Metadata
Item Type: | Article |
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Authors/Creators: |
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Copyright, Publisher and Additional Information: | © 2024 The Authors. Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry published by Wiley Periodicals LLC on behalf of SETAC. |
Keywords: | Sulfides/analysis,Water Pollutants, Chemical/analysis,Biofilms/drug effects,Plastics,Rivers/chemistry,Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry |
Dates: |
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Institution: | The University of York |
Academic Units: | The University of York > Faculty of Sciences (York) > Environment and Geography (York) The University of York > Faculty of Sciences (York) |
Depositing User: | Pure (York) |
Date Deposited: | 14 Aug 2024 15:40 |
Last Modified: | 23 Jan 2025 00:35 |
Published Version: | https://doi.org/10.1002/etc.5880 |
Status: | Published |
Refereed: | Yes |
Identification Number: | 10.1002/etc.5880 |
Open Archives Initiative ID (OAI ID): | oai:eprints.whiterose.ac.uk:216150 |
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Description: Enviro Toxic and Chemistry - 2024 - Valentine - Plastic Litter Emits the Foraging Infochemical Dimethyl Sulfide after
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