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Comparison of gut toxicity and microbiome effects in zebrafish exposed to polypropylene microplastics: Interesting effects of UV-weathering on microbiome
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Zebrafish exposed to UV-weathered polypropylene microplastics showed different and sometimes more severe gut damage than those exposed to fresh microplastics, including greater accumulation in the digestive tract and more disruption of gut bacteria. Interestingly, the weathered microplastics enriched certain beneficial gut bacteria while the fresh ones did not. This matters because real-world microplastics are weathered by sunlight, meaning lab studies using only pristine plastics may underestimate actual health risks.
Weathered microplastics (MPs) exhibit different physicochemical properties compared to pristine MPs, thus, their effects on the environment and living organisms may also differ. In the present study, we investigated the gut-toxic effects of virgin polypropylene MPs (PP) and UV-weathered PP MPs (UV-PP) on zebrafish. The zebrafish were exposed to the two types of PP MPs at a concentration of 50 mg/L each for 14 days. After exposure, MPs accumulated primarily within the gastrointestinal tract, with UV-PP exhibiting a higher accumulation than PP. The ingestion of PP and UV-PP induced gut damage in zebrafish and increased the gene expression and levels of enzymes related to oxidative stress and inflammation, with no significant differences between the two MPs. Analysis of the microbial community confirmed alterations in the abundance and diversity of zebrafish gut microorganisms in the PP and UV-PP groups, with more pronounced changes in the PP-exposed group. Moreover, the Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes pathway analysis confirmed the association between changes in the gut microorganisms at the phylum and genus levels with cellular responses, such as oxidative stress, inflammation, and tissue damage. This study provides valuable insights regarding the environmental impact of MPs on organisms.
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Weathering chemistry shapes the gut microbiome-metabolome-transcriptome response of adult zebrafish to aged polyethylene microplastics.
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Researchers aged polyethylene microplastics using different chemical processes (acids, a base, or UV light and water) then fed them to zebrafish. The way the plastic was aged changed its surface damage and led to different effects on gut bacteria, gut chemicals, and gene activity, showing that aged microplastics cannot be treated as one single category.
UV-aging exacerbates the diversified toxicity of microplastics in the gut of gibel carp (Carassius auratus gibelio)
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This study examined how UV aging of microplastics affects their toxicity in the gut of gibel carp, finding that aged MPs caused greater gut microbiome disruption and oxidative stress than virgin MPs. The results highlight that environmental weathering increases the ecological hazard of microplastics in freshwater aquaculture systems.
The distinct toxicity effects between commercial and realistic polystyrene microplastics on microbiome and histopathology of gut in zebrafish
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Researchers compared the toxic effects of commercially manufactured polystyrene microplastics with environmentally weathered ones on the gut microbiome and intestinal tissue of zebrafish. The study found that the two types of microplastics produced distinct effects, suggesting that commonly used commercial microplastics in laboratory studies may not accurately represent the impacts of real-world microplastic pollution.
Influence of ultraviolet-aging and adsorbed pollutants on toxicological effects of polyvinyl chloride microplastics to zebrafish
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Researchers studied how UV aging changes polyvinyl chloride microplastics and their toxicity to zebrafish, both alone and when carrying adsorbed pollutants. They found that aged microplastics caused more severe gut damage and oxidative stress than pristine particles, due to increased free radicals on their surfaces. When carrying adsorbed chlorpyrifos or erythromycin, the microplastics served as pollutant carriers into fish, producing greater behavioral disruption and gut microbiome alterations.
Impact of virgin and weathered microplastics on zebrafish: Bioaccumulation, developmental toxicity and molecular pathway disruptions
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Researchers compared the effects of brand-new versus environmentally weathered microplastics on zebrafish larvae and found that weathered particles were far more toxic, causing 80% mortality compared to 20% for new plastics. The weathered microplastics triggered more severe disruptions to oxidative stress pathways, cell death signaling, and DNA repair mechanisms. The study emphasizes that laboratory tests using only pristine microplastics may significantly underestimate the real-world dangers of plastic pollution.
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