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Teabag-derived microplastics pose steatosis and oxidative stress-mediated toxicity in embryonic zebrafish
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Researchers investigated the effects of microplastics released from commercial teabags on zebrafish embryos. They found that exposure caused dose-dependent developmental problems, including increased mortality, heart defects, fat accumulation in the liver, and elevated oxidative stress. The study suggests that microplastics leaching from everyday food-contact products like teabags may pose risks through both physical particle exposure and the chemical compounds they release.
Microplastics released from consumer products, such as teabags, are an emerging environmental and health concern. Teabag-derived microplastics (TMPs) represent a significant yet underexplored source of micropollutants. This study investigated the developmental and molecular toxicity of TMPs in zebrafish embryos through integrated experimental and computational approaches. TMPs extracted from commercial teabags had a mean hydrodynamic diameter of 389.7 nm and a zeta potential of -59.4 mV, indicating high colloidal stability. Embryos exposed to TMPs exhibited dose-dependent developmental abnormalities, with up to 45 % mortality and over 30 % incidence of pericardial edema and notochord defects at higher concentrations. ROS levels increased significantly (p < 0.0001), accompanied by lipid droplet accumulation, indicating steatosis. Gene expression analysis showed marked upregulation of Zhe1 (>10-fold), Sod1 (>12-fold), and Tp53 (∼4.5-fold), reflecting hatching stress, oxidative imbalance, and apoptosis. Flow cytometry confirmed elevated acridine orange-positive apoptotic cells. Molecular docking revealed strong binding affinity of styrene, a leachate from TMPs, to Zhe1, Sod1, and p53, with Sod1 showing the highest affinity (-5.4 kcal/mol). These findings suggest TMPs toxicity results not only from physical exposure but also from specific molecular interactions. The study underscores the urgent need to evaluate the risks of microplastic leachates from food-contact materials.
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Investigating the Release and Toxicity of Microplastics/Nanoplastics From Single‐Use Plastic Bags to Zebrafish
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Researchers studied how single-use polyethylene bags break down under environmental conditions and tested the resulting microplastic and nanoplastic particles on zebrafish embryos. The fragments released from degraded bags showed higher toxicity than pure polyethylene particles, causing dose-dependent developmental abnormalities including pericardial edema, spinal curvature, and mortality rates up to 93% at the highest concentrations, likely due to chemical additives and degradation products.
Exploring developmental toxicity of microplastics and nanoplastics (MNPS): Insights from investigations using zebrafish embryos
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This review summarizes research on how micro- and nanoplastics harm embryo development using zebrafish as a model organism that shares genetic similarities with humans. Studies show these tiny plastic particles cause damage to the brain, heart, gut, and immune system of developing embryos, largely through oxidative stress and cell death pathways.
Developmental toxicity of carboxylated microplastics in zebrafish mediated by mitochondrial dysfunction and inflammatory activation
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Researchers exposed zebrafish larvae to carboxylated polystyrene microplastics at environmentally relevant concentrations (0.1–100 μg/L) and found dose-dependent developmental defects including reduced tail coiling and slowed heart rate, linked to mitochondrial dysfunction and inflammatory activation.
Plastic Teabags Release Billions of Microparticles and Nanoparticles into Tea
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Researchers discovered that steeping a single plastic teabag at brewing temperature releases approximately 11.6 billion microplastics and 3.1 billion nanoplastics into a cup of tea. These particle levels are several orders of magnitude higher than those previously reported in other foods. Toxicity testing on water fleas showed that exposure to these released particles caused dose-dependent behavioral and developmental effects.
Polystyrene nanoplastics cause developmental abnormalities, oxidative damage and immune toxicity in early zebrafish development
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Zebrafish embryos exposed to polystyrene nanoplastics showed dose-dependent developmental problems including delayed hatching, reduced survival, smaller body size, and the nanoplastics accumulated in critical organs like the eyes, heart, liver, and brain. The particles triggered oxidative stress that damaged cells and activated inflammatory immune responses, demonstrating how nanoplastic contamination in water can cause widespread harm to developing organisms.
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