Raw data on mortality, feeding rates, swimming behavior and energy reserves: Goetz et al 2022

The abundance and persistence of plastic nanoparticles in aquatic habitats
are considered a threat to marine and freshwater biota. However, the risk
assessment of plastic particles is complicated due to various factors that
need to be considered, including composition, size and environmental
abundance. This study investigated the behavioural response of a key river
species, Gammarus roeseli, to dietary exposure of plain biodegradable and
non-biodegradable plastic as well as to natural small micro- and
nanoparticles. Mortality, feeding, swimming velocity and energy
assimilation  endpoints were examined by considering four
particles sizes ranging from 30 to 1000 nm in two concentrations. Contrary
to our expectations, neither decreasing size nor increasing abundance of
each tested particle impacted any of the examined endpoints. Likewise,
dietary exposition with biodegradable plain polylactide did not induce
other or stronger effects than non-biodegradable plain polystyrene or
natural silica micro- and nanoparticles, as all three particle types did
not lead to adverse effects on G. roeseli. These findings also suggest
that the functional role of Gammarus roeseli as a shredder is not impaired
due to particle occurrence within the exposure range of this study.