Exposure to polystyrene nanoplastics induced physiological and behavioral effects on the brittle star Ophiactis virens

Nanoplastic contamination has become an issue of environmental concern but the information on the potential adverse effects of nanoplastics on marine ecosystems is still limited. Therefore, the aim of this work was to investigate the effects of the exposure to polystyrene nanoplastics (PS-NPs; 0.05, 0.5 and 5 μg/mL) on the brittles star Ophiactis virens. Diverse endpoints at different levels of biological organization were considered, including behavior, arm regeneration capacity and oxidative stress. PS-NPs were observed on the brittle star body surface but not in inner tissues. Accumulation of PS-NPs was observed in the pre-buccal cavity of animals exposed to 5 μg/mL PS-NPs which also displayed delayed righting activity and an oxidative stress condition. Nevertheless, no effect was observed on arm regeneration efficiency at any tested PS-NPs concentration. Overall, our results highlighted that prolonged exposure to high amounts of PS-NPs could interfere at least partially with the physiology of O. virens.