Polystyrene microplastics affect the early life stages of large yellow croaker Pseudosciaena crocea

Microplastics (MPs) have garnered significant international scrutiny as an emerging environmental pollutant, constituting one of the four principal global environmental threats and posing potential health hazards to humans. However, data on the impact of MPs on the early life of the commercially important fish remain limited. In this study, polystyrene microspheres (PS-MPs) (1 and 5 µm) were used to investigate the effects of MPs on the growth, development, and metabolism in early life stages of large yellow croaker Pseudosciaena crocea. Results indicate that MPs were enriched in the gastrointestinal tract and gills of the fish. In addition, PS-MPs (1 µm) exhibited no obvious effects on embryo hatching and heart rates, while increased the mortality rate (23.00% vs. control 14.99%) and decreased the body length (4 098.61±447.03 µm vs. control with 2 827.04±254.75 µm) of the larvae at the highest exposure concentration (5×104 items/L). Metabolomics analysis revealed that PS-MPs (5 µm) induced mild perturbations in phospholipid metabolism, specifically alterations in phosphatidylethanolamine (PE) levels. These changes influenced the cell membranes of juvenile fish, and consequently elicited inflammatory responses, disrupted lipid homeostasis, and affected other critical physiological processes. Ultimately, these effects may avoid the growth retardation and potential mortality. Therefore, PS-MPs could affect negatively the fish health in the early life stage, which has implications for aquatic ecosystems.