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Swim in Plastics: Clean Nanoplastics Cause Minimal Mortality but Alter Neurobehavioral and Molecular Rhythms in Fish
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This zebrafish study found that even clean nanoplastics with no added chemicals caused changes in behavior and disrupted the body's internal clock at the molecular level, despite not causing death. Different surface charges on the nanoplastics triggered different effects, with positively charged particles being the most disruptive. The findings suggest that nanoplastics can affect brain function and biological rhythms at exposure levels that might appear safe based on survival alone.
Nanoplastics (NPs) pose potential ecological and health impacts. While previous studies have highlighted inconsistent toxicity levels of NPs, knowledge remains limited about the specific effects of different NPs on embryonic development, early life-stage behaviors, and bodily uptake. This study examines the effects of polystyrene NPs (PS-NPs) with different surface charges, plain polystyrene (PS), amino-modified (PS-NH2), and carboxyl-modified (PS-COOH) on zebrafish early life stages. High-resolution 3D bioimaging confirmed differential internalization: PS-COOH accumulated in the yolk and intestine, while PS-NH2 localized mainly in the intestine. PS-NPs up to 10 ppm did not significantly affect mortality or hatching rates, likely due to effective dialysis, minimizing toxic chemical leaching. PS-NP exposure led to noninflated swim bladders and affected swimming. RNA sequencing identified impacted neurological molecular pathways like circadian rhythm and visual function; weighted gene coexpression network analysis indicated strong correlations between key gene modules and phenotypic traits like eye development and dopamine level. We highlight the low acute toxicity of clean dialyzed NPs despite bodily uptake and surface-charge-dependent sublethal neurotoxicity. Overall, plain PS-NPs induced significant individual-level effects, while charged PS-NPs caused stronger molecular-level alterations; toxicity profiles varied across biological levels, complicating hazard assessment and underscoring the need for population-level studies on ecological impacts.
More Papers Like This
Swim in Plastics:Clean Nanoplastics Cause MinimalMortality but Alter Neurobehavioral and Molecular Rhythms in Fish
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Researchers exposed zebrafish embryos and larvae to three types of polystyrene nanoplastics with different surface charges (plain, amino-modified, carboxyl-modified) and tracked biodistribution and developmental effects. Up to 10 ppm exposure caused minimal mortality but disrupted swim bladder inflation and affected neurological pathways including circadian rhythm genes, with surface charge determining tissue distribution.
Nanoplastics Cause Neurobehavioral Impairments, Reproductive and Oxidative Damages, and Biomarker Responses in Zebrafish: Throwing up Alarms of Wide Spread Health Risk of Exposure
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Researchers exposed adult zebrafish to polystyrene nanoplastics and found that the particles accumulated in the brain, liver, intestine, and gonads, causing significant behavioral and physiological changes. The fish showed disrupted energy metabolism, oxidative stress, and altered locomotion, aggression, and predator avoidance behaviors. The findings raise concerns about the widespread health risks of nanoplastic exposure, as these particles are small enough to cross biological membranes.
Effect of nanoplastics on fish health and performance: A review
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Researchers reviewed studies on nanoplastics (particles smaller than 100 nm) in fish and found evidence of tissue accumulation, impaired locomotion and foraging, immune and growth disruption, altered lipid metabolism, and neurotoxicity, though mortality and developmental malformations had not yet been reported.
Charge-specific adverse effects of polystyrene nanoplastics on zebrafish (Danio rerio) development and behavior
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Researchers exposed developing zebrafish to positively and negatively charged nanoplastics and found that the positively charged particles were significantly more toxic, accumulating in the brain and gut and causing developmental delays and brain cell death. The two types of nanoplastics affected different neurotransmitter pathways and interacted with different brain receptors, explaining their distinct behavioral effects. The study demonstrates that the surface charge of nanoplastics plays a critical role in determining their toxicity to developing organisms.
Nanoplastics transport in zebrafish brain: Molecular and phenotypic behavioral impacts
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This study tracked how nanoplastics of two sizes (50 nm and 200 nm) accumulate in and clear from zebrafish brains. Smaller nanoplastics built up more and lasted longer in the brain, causing greater damage to neurons and more behavioral changes like reduced activity and impaired learning. The findings suggest that the tiniest plastic particles may pose the most risk to brain health because they are harder for the body to remove.
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