Publication Details

Category Text Publication
Reference Category Journals
DOI 10.3390/environments10020023
Licence creative commons licence
Title (Primary) Tire and road wear particle-containing sediments with high organic content impact behavior and survival of chironomid larvae (Chironomus riparius)
Author Tull, T.; Krais, S.; Peschke, K.; Weyrauch, S.; Triebskorn, R.; Köhler, H.-R.
Source Titel Environments
Year 2023
Department ANA
Volume 10
Issue 2
Page From art. 23
Language englisch
Topic T9 Healthy Planet
Supplements https://www.mdpi.com/article/10.3390/environments10020023/s1
Keywords tire and road wear particles; TRWP; microplastics; Chironomus riparius; chironomid larvae
Abstract Tire and road wear particles (TRWP), which contribute significantly to microplastic emission, are receiving more attention, but details about particle composition, translocation from source to sink, and particularly the possible effects on ecosystems are largely unknown. We examined the influence of native TRWP-containing sediments from two settling ponds on the mortality and behavior of the aquatic larvae of Chironomus riparius. Both sediments, whether pure or mixed with different proportions of quartz sand and suspended in water, led to increased mortalities with increasing concentrations and were shown to be oxygen consuming. Artificial aeration significantly reduced larval mortality in both sediments. Chironomid larvae show high tolerance to anoxic and polluted environments due to physiological and behavioral adaptations, such as the construction of vertical sediment tubes (chimneys), in which they create oxic compartments. A significant correlation was found between the proportion of contaminated sediment and the number of chimneys: the more contaminated sediment, the fewer chimneys were constructed. The number of chimneys per surviving larva decreased with an increased proportion of contaminated sediment in parallel to increased larval mortality. We hypothesize that contents of these sediments negatively impact the larvae’s ability to survive at low oxygen concentrations due to impairments of essential behavioral and physiological processes.
Persistent UFZ Identifier https://www.ufz.de/index.php?en=20939&ufzPublicationIdentifier=24685
Tull, T., Krais, S., Peschke, K., Weyrauch, S., Triebskorn, R., Köhler, H.-R. (2023):
Tire and road wear particle-containing sediments with high organic content impact behavior and survival of chironomid larvae (Chironomus riparius)
Environments 10 (2), art. 23 10.3390/environments10020023