Chronic Exposure to High-Density Polyethylene Microplastic through Feeding Alters the Nutrient Metabolism of Juvenile Yellow Perch

Mentor 1

Dong Fang Deng

Start Date

10-5-2022 10:00 AM

Description

Plastics such as high-density polyethylene (HDPE) enter waterways and can break into smaller pieces overtime. Exposure to UV radiation and tumbling in marine and freshwater systems can expedite the process resulting in “microplastic” (MP), defined as plastics under 5mm in length. The impacts of MP on food fish are still not fully understood. Yellow perch (Perca flavescens) are of environmental, economic, and cultural significance in the Midwest. The objective of this study was to evaluate the impacts of HDPE MP (100 to 125 μm in size) on the growth performance, nutrient metabolism, and health of yellow perch through chronic dietary exposure. Five test diets (0, 1, 2, 4, or 8 g HDPE/100g diet) containing a equal protein and lipid were fed to the fish (average body weight, 25.9 ± 0.2 g) for nine weeks. Fish were raised in a flow-through freshwater system with 15 fish per tank and 3 tanks per treatment. Our results showed no mortality or HDPE accumulation in fish from any treatment. Weight gain of the fish was not significantly impacted by HDPE levels in the feed. Compared to the control, fish fed 8% HDPE showed significantly lower levels of protein and ash. Increased levels of HDPE also correlated to increase in liver weight, hepatocyte size, and liver glycogen level, but decreased lipid in liver tissue. Damage to the epithelial cells of the foregut was noted in fish fed the 2% or 8% HDPE diet . Significant cell sloughing was observed in the midgut and hindgut of fish fed the 8% HDPE diet. This study demonstrates that HDPE in feed can be evacuated by yellow perch with no impact on growth but it altered the nutrition quality of yellow perch. It would appear that extended exposure may risk fish health and this hypothesis remains to be studied.

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May 10th, 10:00 AM

Chronic Exposure to High-Density Polyethylene Microplastic through Feeding Alters the Nutrient Metabolism of Juvenile Yellow Perch

Plastics such as high-density polyethylene (HDPE) enter waterways and can break into smaller pieces overtime. Exposure to UV radiation and tumbling in marine and freshwater systems can expedite the process resulting in “microplastic” (MP), defined as plastics under 5mm in length. The impacts of MP on food fish are still not fully understood. Yellow perch (Perca flavescens) are of environmental, economic, and cultural significance in the Midwest. The objective of this study was to evaluate the impacts of HDPE MP (100 to 125 μm in size) on the growth performance, nutrient metabolism, and health of yellow perch through chronic dietary exposure. Five test diets (0, 1, 2, 4, or 8 g HDPE/100g diet) containing a equal protein and lipid were fed to the fish (average body weight, 25.9 ± 0.2 g) for nine weeks. Fish were raised in a flow-through freshwater system with 15 fish per tank and 3 tanks per treatment. Our results showed no mortality or HDPE accumulation in fish from any treatment. Weight gain of the fish was not significantly impacted by HDPE levels in the feed. Compared to the control, fish fed 8% HDPE showed significantly lower levels of protein and ash. Increased levels of HDPE also correlated to increase in liver weight, hepatocyte size, and liver glycogen level, but decreased lipid in liver tissue. Damage to the epithelial cells of the foregut was noted in fish fed the 2% or 8% HDPE diet . Significant cell sloughing was observed in the midgut and hindgut of fish fed the 8% HDPE diet. This study demonstrates that HDPE in feed can be evacuated by yellow perch with no impact on growth but it altered the nutrition quality of yellow perch. It would appear that extended exposure may risk fish health and this hypothesis remains to be studied.