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Plastic food? Energy compensation of zebrafish (Danio rerio) after long-term exposure to polylactic acid biomicroplastics
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Zebrafish exposed to biodegradable PLA (polylactic acid) microplastics for 90 days accumulated more plastic in their guts than fish exposed to conventional PET plastic, and suffered more intestinal damage. Although the fish partially compensated by using the PLA breakdown products for energy, the study shows that bio-based plastics still carry meaningful ecological risks for aquatic organisms that can enter our food chain.
The extensive use of bio-based plastics has led to their widespread distribution in the environment. However, their long-term ecological impact on aquatic animals is not well understood. In this study, adult zebrafish (Danio rerio) were exposed to 1000 items·L of either polylactic acid (PLA) or polyethylene terephthalate (PET) microplastics (MPs), for 90 days. PLA is a typical bio-based plastic, while PET is a typical petroleum-derived plastic. The abundances of PLA and PET MPs in fish intestines were 981 ± 66 and 671 ± 151 items per fish, respectively, indicating a greater amount of PLA MP residues than PET MPs. However, the inhibitory effect of PET on fish weight was 1.8 times higher than that of PLA, suggesting energy compensation in PLA-treated zebrafish. Proliferation of Lactobacillus was observed in the fish intestines of the PLA group, indicating increased utilization capacity of intestinal flora for lactic acid production during PLA degradation. Metabolomics showed that the tricarboxylic acid pathway was up-regulated in the PLA group compared with that in the PET group, providing evidence of energy compensation. However, more ingested PLA MPs caused more significant histological damage to fish intestines than PET MPs. Therefore, the ecological risks of bio-based plastics still require attention.
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Diet preference of zebrafish (Danio rerio) for bio-based polylactic acid microplastics and induced intestinal damage and microbiota dysbiosis
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Researchers found that zebrafish actively preferred to eat bio-based polylactic acid microplastics over conventional petroleum-based polyethylene terephthalate microplastics, accumulating roughly 170 times more of the bio-based particles in their intestines. Both types of microplastics caused intestinal damage and disrupted the gut microbiome, but the higher ingestion rate of bio-based plastics led to greater harm. The study raises important questions about whether biodegradable plastics may actually pose equal or greater risks to aquatic life due to their attractiveness as a food source.
Behavioral and biochemical consequences of Danio rerio larvae exposure to polylactic acid bioplastic.
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Zebrafish larvae exposed to polylactic acid (PLA) bioplastic particles for five days showed behavioral changes including altered locomotion and biochemical disruptions — and the particles accumulated in the larvae. The results indicate that PLA bioplastics are not harmless to aquatic life and deserve the same ecological scrutiny as petroleum-based plastics.
Investigating the toxicity of polylactic acid microplastics on the health and physiology of freshwater fish, Cirrhinus mrigala
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Researchers fed freshwater fish polylactic acid (PLA) microplastics, often considered a more eco-friendly plastic alternative, for 90 days at various concentrations. They found that PLA microplastics negatively affected the fish's growth, nutrient digestibility, blood chemistry, and caused tissue damage to the liver and intestines. The findings suggest that even biodegradable plastics can be harmful to aquatic organisms when ingested over time.
Multiple endpoints of polylactic acid biomicroplastic toxicity in adult zebrafish (Danio rerio)
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Researchers exposed adult zebrafish to polylactic acid (PLA) bioplastic microparticles for 30 days and found accumulation in liver, brain, gills, and tissue, along with social behavior disruption, cholinergic changes, oxidative imbalance, and altered pigmentation — challenging the assumption that biodegradable bioplastics are environmentally benign.
Microplastics accumulation in gut and revealing their impacts on nutritional quality and health of freshwater carp, Catla catla
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Researchers fed common carp (Catla catla) diets containing increasing concentrations of polylactic acid microplastics (PLA-MPs) — a type of biodegradable plastic — for 90 days, finding that at higher levels the fish experienced stunted growth, reduced nutrient absorption, altered blood cell counts, and intestinal tissue damage. The study demonstrates that even "biodegradable" microplastics can accumulate in fish and significantly harm their health.
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