Resumen:
We assessed the combined effects of polyethylene microplastic (MP) and malathion (MLT) on the survival of the
fiddler crab Minuca ecuadoriensis, and MP tissue bioaccumulation in four treatments following 120 h exposure:
T1) Control; T2) MLT 50 mg L− 1
; T3) MP 200 mg L− 1
; and T4) MLT (50 mg L− 1
) + MP (200 mg L− 1
). The highest
mortality (80%) was in T4, followed by T2 (28%) and no mortality was in T3. Higher MP bioaccumulation was
observed in T4 (572 items g tissue− 1
) followed by T3 (70 items g tissue− 1
). Our findings indicate that the
synergistic effect of MLT and MP increased M. ecuadoriensis bioaccumulative capacity and decreases survival.
Thus, as MP contamination in aquatic environments is ubiquitous, our study raises a warning on the synergistic
effects of MP with other environmental contaminants and serves as a baseline for further studies.
