Evaluation of polyethylen microplastic bio-accumulation in hematopancreas, intestin and hemolymph of freshwater crayfish (Astacus leptodactylus

Abstract

Today, microplastics (MPs) are one of the biggest environmental problems threatening aquatic life. The accumulation of MPs in the body of aquatic animals can play a role in transferring these pollutants into the food chain. Furthermore, these pollutants can significantly affect the physiology of aquatic animals. In this study, the bioaccumulation capability of MPs in the body of freshwater crayfish ( ) has been evaluated. For this purpose, crayfish were exposed to 0, 500, and 1000 μg L-1 of polyethyleneMPs (PE-MPs) for 28 days. Then, the accumulation of MPs in hemolymph, hepatopancreas, and intestine of crabs was investigated by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR). Bioaccumulation of PE-MPs in the hemolymph, hepatopancreas, and intestines was observed in the crayfish exposed to PE-MPs. This study showed that FTIR is a suitable method for identifying and measuring MPs in aquatic organisms.