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Effects of Polystyrene Microplastic Exposure on Growth and Physiological Parameters in Juvenile Wistar Rats
Summary
Scientists fed young rats tiny plastic particles (the kind found in everyday products) daily for six weeks and found the rats grew more slowly and had disrupted hormone levels, including lower testosterone in males and lower estrogen in females, plus changes in organs like the brain, lungs, and spleen. While this study was in rats, not humans, it adds to growing evidence that microplastics may interfere with normal development and hormone balance, which is especially concerning during childhood and adolescence when these systems are still maturing.
Microplastics (MPs) represent an increasing environmental and biological concern, with their potential effects on early development and physiological homeostasis still not fully elucidated. The present study aimed to evaluate the effects of chronic juvenile exposure to 1 μm and 5 μm polystyrene microplastics (PS-MPs) on growth, organ indices, and endocrine profile in Wistar rats. A total of 36 juvenile Wistar rats (18 males and 18 females) were orally exposed to PS-MPs (0.1 mg/day) from postnatal day (PND) 21 to PND 61. Body weight dynamics were monitored throughout the experimental period, while at the end of exposure organ indices and serum levels of testosterone and estradiol were assessed. Exposure to PS-MPs was associated with delayed body weight gain, with more pronounced effects observed following exposure to 1 μm particles. Organ-specific and sex-dependent alterations were observed, predominantly affecting brain, lung, and spleen indices, as well as reproductive organs, with effects varying according to both sex and particle size. In addition, significant changes in serum sex hormone levels were detected, characterized by decreased testosterone in males and decreased estradiol in females. In conclusion, juvenile exposure to PS-MPs was associated with sex- and size-dependent alterations in growth dynamics, organ indices, and endocrine status in Wistar rats, suggesting potential systemic physiological effects of microplastics during early development.