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Quantifying the impact of nanoplastics and natural particles on copper accumulation and distribution in zebrafish: Coupling in vivo tests with toxicokinetic modeling
Summary
Researchers co-exposed zebrafish to polystyrene nanoplastics and copper and used toxicokinetic modeling to quantify how the nanoplastics altered copper accumulation and tissue distribution compared to natural clay particles. Nanoplastics increased copper bioaccumulation in certain tissues more than clay particles, demonstrating that nanoplastics are more effective carriers of toxic metals than natural suspended particles of similar size.
Nanoplastics (NPs) are increasingly recognized as significant carriers of pollutants, but their effects on metal accumulation dynamics and tissue-specific distribution in aquatic organisms, especially in comparison to natural particles, remain poorly understood. This study quantitatively investigated the impact of polystyrene NPs (PS-NPs) and the natural clay mineral illite particles (IPs) on copper (Cu) accumulation and distribution in zebrafish by coupling in vivo exposure with toxicokinetic (TK) modeling. Both PS-NPs and IPs significantly enhanced Cu accumulation in whole fish and various tissues and organs without altering overall distribution patterns. At a similar nano-scale size, IPs promoted more Cu accumulation and transfer due to their rougher surface and higher metal adsorption capacity compared to PS-NPs. From modeling perspectives, IPs contributed more to Cu overall accumulation in whole fish than PS-NPs, driven by higher ingestion and lower egestion rates evaluated by the one-compartment TK model. Tissue-specific analysis showed that IPs had greater Cu transfer rates from blood to the gills, liver, and intestines, with relative contributions of 12 %, 11 %, and 6 % higher than those of PS-NPs, respectively, as determined by the physiologically-based TK model. These findings suggest that in turbid environments, natural particles like IPs may pose greater ecological risks as metal carriers than synthetic PS-NPs. This study provides novel quantitative insights into particle-mediated metal dynamics, enhancing our understanding of the role of NPs in pollutant behavior in aquatic ecosystems.