We can't find the internet
Attempting to reconnect
Something went wrong!
Hang in there while we get back on track
Each temperature degree counts: warming enhances polystyrene nanoplastic toxicity via metabolic disruption in a marine cellular model
AI summary Read the abstract
This study examined how elevated water temperatures — simulating marine heatwaves — amplify the toxicity of polystyrene nanoplastics in marine cells, finding that warming enhanced metabolic disruption caused by nanoplastics. The results suggest climate change and plastic pollution interact synergistically to harm marine organisms.
Climate change is significantly altering the thermal environment of marine species, causing shifts in animal metabolism through increased temperatures and more frequent marine heatwaves. These changes can impose additional physiological stress on coastal organisms, potentially worsening their sensitivity to environmental pollutants and metabolic disruptors such as plastics. Indeed, nanoplastics are concerning contaminants in marine ecosystems, with the potential to disrupt cellular metabolism and redox balance in aquatic organisms. This study examined if rising temperatures can influence the cellular toxicity of two model polystyrene nanoplastics (non-functionalized Plain-NanoPS and amino-functionalized NH₂-NanoPS) in primary cultures of Pacific oyster Crassostrea gigas (Magallana gigas) hemocytes. We exposed hemocytes to a range of nanoplastic concentrations (0.1 to 10 mg/L) at controlled temperatures from 16 °C to 28 °C and evaluated cellular responses using metabolic, oxidative, and viability biomarkers. This range of concentrations and temperatures reflects the NPs content in tissues and fluids, as well as temperature fluctuations in aquaculture sites and intertidal environments. Plain-NanoPS had minimal effects, while NH₂-NanoPS caused temperature-dependent toxicity, impairing ATP production, reducing metabolic activity, and increasing reactive oxygen species levels. Integrated cellular biomarker analysis showed a shift from an adaptive to a stress-dominated metabolic phenotype under combined NH₂-NanoPS exposure and warming conditions. Since both particle types exhibited similar surface charges in cell culture medium, factors other than surface charge might influence cellular toxicity. This research demonstrates that warming increases the metabolic toxicity of nanoplastics and can reduce the thermal resilience of oyster cells in vitro.
More Papers Like This
Heatwaves increase the polystyrene nanoplastic-induced toxicity to marine diatoms through interfacial interaction regulation
AI summary Read the abstract
Researchers found that marine heatwaves significantly worsen the toxic effects of polystyrene nanoplastics on an important ocean diatom species. The higher temperatures weakened the algal cell walls and increased nanoplastic adhesion, leading to greater membrane damage and reduced photosynthesis and carbon absorption. The findings suggest that climate change and plastic pollution together may pose a compounding threat to ocean productivity.
Ecotoxicological Effects of Polystyrene Micro- and Nanoplastics in Aquatic Ecosystems Under the Influence of Temperature
AI summary Read the abstract
Researchers exposed marine and freshwater organisms across multiple trophic levels to polystyrene micro- and nanoplastics under current and elevated temperatures, finding that toxicity responses varied by species and trophic level rather than following consistent concentration-dependent patterns, with a 2°C temperature increase amplifying hazard in marine but not freshwater systems.
Polystyrene Plastic Particles Result in Adverse Outcomes for Hyalella azteca When Exposed at Elevated Temperatures
AI summary Read the abstract
Experiments with the amphipod Hyalella azteca showed that polystyrene micro- and nanoplastics caused greater adverse effects at elevated water temperatures, suggesting that climate warming could amplify the ecotoxicological impacts of plastic pollution.
Temperature and polystyrene nano- and microplastics co-exposure alters physiology and metabolome in the invasive snail Pomacea canaliculata
AI summary Read the abstract
Scientists found that warmer water makes tiny plastic particles (both microplastics and even smaller nanoplastics) more harmful to freshwater snails, disrupting their metabolism and stress-response systems, especially at high temperatures. This matters because as climate change warms our waterways, plastic pollution already in the environment could become more toxic to aquatic life, a concerning combination worth watching as these particles also make their way into the food we eat.
The synergic toxicity of temperature increases and nanopolystrene on zebrafish brain implies that global warming may worsen the current risk based on plastic debris
AI summary Read the abstract
Researchers combined a 1°C water temperature increase with polystyrene nanoplastic exposure in zebrafish and found synergistic disruption of circadian rhythms, brain metabolomics, and behavior — with Raman spectroscopy confirming nanoplastic accumulation in brain tissue — suggesting that global warming may substantially amplify the neurological risks of plastic nanoparticle pollution.
Research digests by email
When a large batch of papers lands in the Atlas, we read through it and send a short write-up of what stood out.