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Enzymatic Stress Responses of Coreius guichenoti to Microplastics with Different Particle Sizes
Summary
A critically endangered Chinese river fish, Coreius guichenoti, showed significant biochemical stress responses — including elevated oxidative damage markers — after short-term exposure to polyethylene microplastic fragments. The two particle sizes tested (25 µm and 48 µm) caused stress in different tissues: smaller particles hit the liver and intestine harder, while larger ones affected skin, gills, and muscle. Importantly, stress levels did not return to normal within the observation window after exposure ended, suggesting microplastics could have lasting physiological impacts on this already-vulnerable species.
The wild population resources of Coreius guichenoti have sharply declined in recent decades, and any negative factors may have a significant impact on their survival. In this study, the enzymatic stress responses of C. guichenoti to 25 and 48 μm polyethylene fragments were explored for the first time. This was achieved by evaluating the changes in physiological and biochemical indicators of the species in response to the environmental stimuli of microplastics. In this study, we observed an early stress response in the external tissues of C. guichenoti following exposure to microplastics. The TP content in skin and muscle and the MDA content in skin, gill and muscle initially showed a significant increase. The skin, gill, and muscle exhibited greater stress responses to M5 particles, whereas M3 particles caused a greater response in the intestine and especially the liver. After the removal of microplastic exposure, the stress state of the C. guichenoti would be alleviated in a short period, but it could not fully recover to the pre-exposure level. In summary, microplastics pose a significant threat to C. guichenoti. While their negative effects can be alleviated by the removal of microplastics exposure, full recovery does not occur in a short period. Continuous monitoring of microplastics in natural waters and targeted aquatic ecological restoration are essential to ensure the normal growth and reproduction of the wild population of C. guichenoti.