Quantitative Analysis of Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS) in Selective South Bay Water Bodies

DNA damage is a key driver of genetic mutations and disease, including cancer.Microplastics, generated from the degradation of plastic waste, are now widely detected in water, food, and the human body.However, their potential to induce DNA damage remains largely unknown.Here, we examined the effect of polystyrene microplastics on causing DNA damage using Caenorhabditis elegans (C.elegans) as a model organism.Transgenic cep-1::GFP worms, which express green fluorescent protein (GFP) under the control of the cep-1 promoter in response to DNA damage, were exposed to polystyrene beads of two sizes (0.2 µm or 1 µm) at two concentrations (1 × 10⁷ particles/mL and 1 × 10⁸ particles/mL) for 24 hours.Wild-type and untreated transgenic worms served as controls.GFP expression was quantified by fluorescence microscopy and ImageJ analysis.Microplastic exposure significantly elevated GFP expression in cep-1::GFP worms regardless of microplastic size or concentration, suggesting robust induction of DNA damage response, whereas neither control group showed a significant response.Altogether, these results demonstrate that polystyrene microplastics can induce DNA damage in C. elegans and suggest that similar genotoxic effects may occur in other organisms, including humans, highlighting a potential link between microplastic exposure and disease pathogenesis.