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Intestinal microplastic debris, flora dysbiosis, and insidious combined hazards across diverse aquatic and terrestrial organisms
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This review examined how microplastics disrupt gut health across a wide range of aquatic and terrestrial organisms, with a focus on how UV-degraded plastics become more toxic over time. Researchers found that aged microplastics absorb more pollutants like heavy metals and persistent organic chemicals, amplifying their harmful effects on intestinal tissue and gut microbial balance. The study highlights that the combined threat of microplastics as both direct irritants and pollutant carriers poses serious risks to digestive health across species.
Emerging insights into photodegraded plastics, synergistic toxicities, and their role as pollutant vectors call for immediate action. Ultraviolet radiation accelerates the aging of plastics, enhancing their adsorption capacity for pollutants like heavy metals and persistent organic pollutants, thereby amplifying their toxicity. For instance, aged plastic particles in zebrafish have been shown to induce severe intestinal damage and disrupt microbial balance. Similarly, combined exposures of plastics and antibiotics alter the gut microbiota in organisms, affecting phyla such as Firmicutes and Bacteroidetes. In soil ecosystems, aged plastics elevate heavy metal accumulation in earthworms, intensifying intestinal injury. Our analysis reveals a remarkable ability of the gut microbiota in certain terrestrial organisms to break down microplastics, while specific chemicals help alleviate the intestinal toxicity caused by microplastics and nanoplastics. These findings provide fresh perspectives for future mitigation tactics, underscoring the need for sustainable plastic alternatives, improved waste management strategies, and further research to mitigate the long-term impacts of microplastics and nanoplastics on ecosystem health and functionality.
More Papers Like This
Microplastics disrupt intestinal physiology: From microbiota composition to intestinal barrier integrity
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This review pulls together existing research on how the tiny plastic particles we swallow through food and water may mess with our gut health. The evidence suggests microplastics can shift our gut bacteria toward less beneficial types while reducing helpful bacteria that support digestion, and this may weaken the gut's protective lining—potentially allowing harmful substances to pass into the body more easily. While more research is needed to fully understand the risks, this adds to growing concerns about how everyday plastic exposure might affect our long-term health.
Microplastics and health hazards: gastrointestinal risk assessment across a multi-species perspective
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This review assesses the gastrointestinal health risks of micro- and nanoplastics across multiple species, from aquatic organisms to mammals, examining how these particles interact with the digestive system. Researchers found that microplastics can cause gut inflammation, alter the microbiome, and potentially cross the intestinal barrier into other tissues. The study highlights that understanding effects across species can help predict potential risks to human digestive health.
UV-aging exacerbates the diversified toxicity of microplastics in the gut of gibel carp (Carassius auratus gibelio)
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This study examined how UV aging of microplastics affects their toxicity in the gut of gibel carp, finding that aged MPs caused greater gut microbiome disruption and oxidative stress than virgin MPs. The results highlight that environmental weathering increases the ecological hazard of microplastics in freshwater aquaculture systems.
Trojan horse in the intestine: A review on the biotoxicity of microplastics combined environmental contaminants
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This review examines how microplastics act as 'Trojan horses' by carrying other environmental contaminants such as heavy metals, persistent organic pollutants, and pathogens into the intestinal system. Researchers analyzed the mechanisms by which microplastics adsorb and release these co-contaminants and how the combinations affect the gut barrier. The study highlights that the interactive toxicity of microplastics with other pollutants may be more harmful than either pollutant alone, particularly to intestinal health.
Microplastics and the gut microbiome: How chronically exposed species may suffer from gut dysbiosis
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This review explores how chronic microplastic exposure may disrupt the natural balance of gut bacteria in wildlife, a condition known as dysbiosis. Researchers suggest that ingesting microplastics can cause mechanical damage to the gastrointestinal tract, introduce foreign bacteria, and deliver chemical additives that disturb gut microbial communities. The study highlights that microplastic-induced gut dysbiosis could weaken immune systems, promote infections, and contribute to chronic health issues in exposed species.
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When a large batch of papers lands in the Atlas, we read through it and send a short write-up of what stood out.