Polystyrene nanoplastics induce developmental impairments and vasotoxicity in zebrafish (Danio rerio)
Journal of Hazardous Materials2023
51 citations
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Zebrafish exposed to polystyrene nanoplastics at environmentally realistic concentrations showed developmental problems including heart defects, brain abnormalities, blood vessel damage, and reduced swimming ability. The nanoplastics accumulated on the fish's body and triggered cell damage and oxidative stress even at very low doses. Since zebrafish are commonly used to model human developmental processes, these findings raise concerns about what nanoplastic exposure could mean for early human development.
The exponential use of plastics has significantly increased environmental pollution by nanoplastics (NPs). In the aquatic environment, NPs interact and bioaccumulate in the biota, posing a potential ecotoxicological risk. The present study investigated the developmental toxicity, vasotoxicity, cytotoxicity, ROS induction, and behavioral impairments in zebrafish (Danio rerio) exposed to environmentally relevant polystyrene NPs (PS-NPs) concentrations (0.04, 34 ng L, and 34 μg L) for 144 h through multiple biomarkers response (mortality, frequency of spontaneous contractions, heart rate, and morphological changes). Furthermore, vasotoxicity (head, yolk sac, tail, and branchial vessels) was evaluated using the transgenic zebrafish tg(Fli1:eGFP). Results showed that PS-NPs interacted mainly with zebrafish chorion, gills, tail, and larvae head. PS-NPs at 34 ng L and 34 μg L induced neurotoxicity (decreased frequency of spontaneous contractions), cardiotoxicity (bradycardia), and morphological changes in the eyes and head, indicating that PS-NPs induce developmental impairments in zebrafish. In addition, cytotoxicity in the caudal region (34 ng L), ROS production, decreased mean swimming speed, and distance covered were observed in all tested concentrations. PS-NPs also induced vasotoxicity (yolk sac region) in transgenic zebrafish. Overall, the present study demonstrates the harmful effects of PS-NPs on the early developmental stages of freshwater fish, indicating their environmental risk.