Adverse impacts of high-density microplastics on juvenile growth and behaviour of the endangered tri-spine horseshoe crab Tachypleus tridentatus

Abstract

The impacts of high-density microplastics, namely polyamine 6,6 (nylon), polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA) and polyethylene terephthalate (PET), on growth and behaviour of the endangered tri-spine horseshoe crab Tachypleus tridentatus were investigated for 100 days. Negative changes in wet weight and prosomal width of the juveniles were observed in all treatments of microplastics, but significant difference was only detected in prosomal width between control and PMMA. T. tridentatus became significantly less active upon exposure to nylon and PET. The extent of burrowing by T. tridentatus did not significantly differ among the treatments but was overall significantly reduced towards day 100. T. tridentatus exposed to PET significantly showed the lowest survival probability (30 %), compared to the other treatments (70–90 %). In conclusion, high-density microplastics compromised growth and behaviour of juvenile horseshoe crabs. Among the polymers that were tested, PET was considered more harmful and associated with higher mortality.