Integrated Chemical and Hazard Assessment of Plastic Pellets from the Toconao Spill (Galicia, Spain) Indicates Potential for Environmental Harm

Plastic pellet spills are a major source of microplastic pollution, and pellets are found on beaches worldwide. However, the potential environmental impacts of these spills remain poorly understood. In December 2023, approximately 25,000 kg of polyethylene pellets containing high concentrations of the additive Tinuvin UV-622 were spilled during a shipping accident off the northern coast of Portugal. Pellets collected from an affected beach located in Galicia, Spain, along with solvent extracts and aqueous leachates, were subjected to both target and nontarget chemical analyses and tested in a battery of toxicity assays including a green microalga (Raphidocelis subcapitata), a marine copepod (Apocyclops royi), a fish model (Danio rerio), and a human cell line. Chemical screening identified on the order of 50 chemical substances in addition to Tinuvin UV-622, including a range of known plastic additives and nonintentionally added substances (NIAS). Toxicity assays revealed significant growth inhibition and stress-induced cell aggregation in R. subcapitata and acute toxicity causing immobilization in copepods, which could have potential implications in the environment via the disruption of primary producers and food web dynamics. In contrast, zebrafish embryos showed no significant developmental effects, while human cells exhibited modest, time-dependent reductions in viability. Our findings underscore the complex chemical burden associated with pellet spills and stress the need for policies and regulations to prevent them, reinforcing the importance of applying the precautionary principle in managing the environmental risks linked to plastic pellet production, transport, and accidental release.