Mar Environ Res 2022 Apr 01;176:105605. doi: 10.1016/j.marenvres.2022.105605.

Acute toxicity of bioplastic leachates to Paracentrotus lividus sea urchin larvae.

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In an attempt to ensure that bioplastics, progressively replacing petrochemical-derived plastics, do not release any harmful compound to the environment, the study assessed the toxic effects of three innovative bioplastic products: polyhydroxybutyrate resin (PHB), polylactic acid cups (PLA) and a polylactic acid/polyhydroxyalkanoate 3D printing filament (PLA/PHA), together with a synthetic polyvinyl chloride (PVC) toy in Paracentrotus lividus sea urchin larvae. PVC toy was the most toxic material, likely due to the added plasticizers; remarkably, even if PHB is conceived as a nontoxic polymer, it showed a slight toxicity and Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectometry analysis (GC-MS) revealed the presence of a wide range of additives. Conversely, PLA cups and PLA/PHA filament were innocuous for the larvae, a positive outcome for these renewable solutions. Proven that additives are also used in some bioplastic formulations, they should be carefully addressed to ensure that they are as safe as regarded.

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