MICROPLASTICS ON THE MOVE: ONTOGENIC TRANSFERENCE AND DETOXIFICATION IN CHIRONOMIDS

Microplastics (MPs) are pervasive pollutants affecting aquatic ecosystems, with potential to infiltrate terrestrial systems via boundary species. Chironomus riparius, a benthic macroinvertebrate with an aquatic larval and terrestrial adult life cycle, serves as a key vector for MP transfer across these ecosystems. This study examines the impact of a complex MP mixture—polyethylene, polyvinyl chloride, and polyamide—on C. riparius at environmentally relevant concentrations, focusing on ontogenic transference and metamorphosis-driven detoxification mechanisms. Larvae were exposed to MP-spiked sediments under controlled conditions, and life-history traits were monitored. MPs were detected in both adults and exuviae, with higher concentrations in exuviae, suggesting molting during metamorphosis aids in shedding ingested particles. Sublethal effects included delayed development and reduced growth rates, though emergence ratios and mortality remained unaffected. These findings underscore the ecological role of C. riparius in MP pathways and suggest metamorphosis as a natural detoxification mechanism, albeit with potential long-term impacts on population dynamics and ecosystem interactions. This research highlights the urgent need to address MP contamination at the aquatic-terrestrial interface and paves the way for expanded studies across diverse taxa and ecosystems.   Acknowledgement - The authors thank the project Plastic Underground – Integrated Cross-Sectoral Solutons to Micro and Nanoplstic Pollution in Soil and Groundwater Ecosystems project HORIZON-MSCA-2021-DN, funded by the European Union's Horizon Europe program under Grant Agreement No. 1010727777

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Primary Presenter: Dimitrija Savic-Zdravkovic, University of Nis (thedimitrija@gmail.com)

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Dimitrija Savic-Zdravkovic, University of Nis  (thedimitrija@gmail.com)