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Triclosan-loaded aged microplastics exacerbate oxidative stress and neurotoxicity in Xenopus tropicalis tadpoles via increased bioaccumulation
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Researchers found that aged, UV-weathered microplastics absorbed more of the antibacterial chemical triclosan than fresh microplastics, and the combination caused worse oxidative stress and brain damage in tadpoles. Aging increased the surface area of the microplastics, allowing them to carry more toxic chemicals into organisms. This highlights a real-world concern: microplastics in the environment get more dangerous as they age, because they become better at absorbing and delivering harmful chemicals.
Microplastics and chlorine-containing triclosan (TCS) are widespread in aquatic environments and may pose health risks to organisms. However, studies on the combined toxicity of aged microplastics and TCS are limited. To investigate the toxic effects and potential mechanisms associated with co-exposure to TCS adsorbed on aged polyethylene microplastics (aPE-MPs) at environmentally relevant concentrations, a 7-day chronic exposure experiment was conducted using Xenopus tropicalis tadpoles. The results showed that the overall particle size of aPE-MPs decreased after 30 days of UV aging, whereas the increase in specific surface area improved the adsorption capacity of aPE-MPs for TCS, resulting in the bioaccumulation of TCS under dual-exposure conditions in the order of aPE-TCS > PE-TCS > TCS. Co-exposure to aPE-MPs and TCS exacerbated oxidative stress and neurotoxicity to a greater extent than a single exposure. Significant upregulation of pro-symptomatic factors (IL-β and IL-6) and antioxidant enzyme activities (SOD and CAT) indicated that the aPE-TCS combination caused more severe oxidative stress and inflammation. Molecular docking revealed the molecular mechanism of the direct interaction between TCS and SOD, CAT, and AChE proteins, which explains why aPE-MPs promote the bioaccumulation of TCS, causing increased toxicity upon combined exposure. These results emphasize the need to be aware of the combined toxicity caused by the increased ability of aged microplastics to carry contaminants.
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When plastic waste breaks down in the environment, sunlight and weathering "age" microplastics, making them more chemically reactive—and this study found that aged microplastic particles are far more harmful than fresh ones. In tests on water fleas and zebrafish embryos, these aged particles slipped past protective barriers (like an egg's outer shell) more easily, disrupted fat metabolism, and slowed heart rates. This matters because most safety research uses "pristine" microplastics, so real-world risks—including potentially to human health, since we're also exposed to weathered plastic particles in water and food—may be underestimated.
New Insights into the Mechanisms of Toxicity of Aging Microplastics
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This study showed that UV-aged polypropylene microplastics are significantly more toxic than fresh ones, absorbing more chemicals and generating more harmful reactive oxygen species in seawater. The aged particles caused greater damage to cell membranes in mussels compared to pristine plastics. Since most microplastics in the ocean have been weathered by sunlight, real-world exposure risks may be higher than laboratory studies using new plastics suggest.
Enhanced biotoxicity by co-exposure of aged polystyrene and ciprofloxacin: the adsorption and its influence factors
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This study found that polystyrene microplastics aged by sunlight absorbed significantly more of the antibiotic ciprofloxacin than fresh microplastics, and the combination was more toxic to organisms than either pollutant alone. The aging process created more surface area and chemical binding sites on the plastic particles. This is important because it means weathered microplastics in the real world can concentrate antibiotics and deliver higher toxic doses to organisms, potentially contributing to both direct toxicity and antibiotic resistance.
Interactive effects of microplastics and selected pharmaceuticals on red tilapia: Role of microplastic aging
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Researchers compared how aged versus virgin polystyrene microplastics interact with the antibiotic sulfamethoxazole and the beta-blocker propranolol in red tilapia. They found that aged microplastics, which have rougher surfaces from UV weathering, adsorbed more pharmaceuticals and altered their bioavailability to the fish. The study demonstrates that environmental aging of microplastics changes their capacity to carry and release pharmaceutical contaminants in aquatic systems.
Photoaging enhances combined toxicity of microplastics and tetrabromobisphenol A by inducing intestinal damage and oxidative stress in Caenorhabditis elegans
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Researchers found that UV-aged microplastics combined with the flame retardant TBBPA caused greater harm to roundworms than either contaminant alone. The photoaged microplastics had increased capacity to absorb the chemical and enhanced its toxic effects, including reduced growth, impaired reproduction, and intestinal damage. The study suggests that weathered microplastics in the environment may amplify the dangers of co-occurring chemical pollutants.
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