Polystyrene Microplastics Modulate the Toxicity of the Hydrophilic Insecticide Thiacloprid for Chironomid Larvae and Also Influence Their Burrowing Behavior

As there is still little knowledge of interactions between microplastics (MP) and hydrophilic compounds, we propose ways the toxicity pesticides can be modulated by MP, when sorption excluded. Larvae Chironomus riparius were exposed to thiacloprid (TH, 1 µg/L) polystyrene microplastic particles (PS; <50 µm; 150,000 1,000,000 particles/L) for 96 h, solely or in co-exposure. Burrowing behavior mortality observed. treatments containing PS established themselves quicker sediment kept ability rebury a longer time compared control TH, respectively. While TH elevated mortality, exposure alone did not affect survival larvae. In co-exposure PS, concentration particles/L significantly reduced µg/L after an effect that was observed at particles/L. Therefore, hypothesize this modulation eventually may have resulted from combination ‘protective MP layer’ gut higher retention larvae than those due lower number ingestible former.