We can't find the internet
Attempting to reconnect
Something went wrong!
Hang in there while we get back on track
Translocation of 14C-polystyrene nanoplastics into fish during a very-low concentration dietary exposure
AI summary Read the abstract
Researchers used carbon-14 labeled polystyrene nanoplastics to trace their accumulation in rainbow trout fed a diet containing very low concentrations of the particles over two weeks. They found that nanoplastics translocated from the gut into internal organs, with significantly elevated radioactivity detected in the hind intestine and liver by day 14. The study demonstrates that even at extremely low dietary concentrations, nanoplastics can cross the intestinal barrier and distribute to fish tissues.
Assessing the dietary accumulation of nanoplastics in animals following very-low exposure concentrations is restricted due to analytical limitations. This study adapted a method for synthesising semi-stable 14C-PS NPs (through styrene polymerisation) in small volumes for deployment in environmental studies. The method was developed with non-labelled material where the final polystyrene product had a primary particle size of 35 ± 8 nm (as measured by transmission electron microscopy). This method was then applied to 14C-labelled styrene to produce radiolabelled polystyrene nanoplastics (14C-PS NPs). The 14C-PS NPs were added (top-dressed) to a commercially available fish feed, with a measured concentration of 27.9 ± 2.1 kBq kg-1 (n = 5), equating to 5.9 μg polystyrene kg-1 feed. Fish (rainbow trout; Oncorhynchus mykiss) were fed this diet at a ration of 2% body weight per day for a period of two weeks. On day 3, 7 and 14, the fish were sampled for the mid intestine, hind intestine, kidney and liver, and measured for tissue radioactivity (determined by liquid scintillation counting). Some background activity was detected in the control samples (e.g., 1-16 and 4-11 Bq g-1 in the hind intestine and liver, respectively) which is due to natural background fluorescence. By the end of the experiment, the hind intestine and liver had significantly elevated radioactivity (25.3 and 15.0 Bq g-1, respectively) compared to the control, indicating the accumulation of nano polystyrene. In the liver, this equated to 1.8 μg polystyrene g-1 dry weight. This study confirms the accumulation of nano particles in vertebrates at low, environmentally relevant concentration, and highlights radiolabelling as a methodological approach suitable for exploring the bioaccumulation of nanoplastics and potential impacts.
More Papers Like This
Ultra-low dietary exposure to 14C-labelled polystyrene: evidencing translocation of nanoplastics in fish
AI summary Read the abstract
Researchers synthesized carbon-14 radiolabelled polystyrene nanoplastics and fed them to rainbow trout at an ultra-low dietary concentration of 5.9 µg polystyrene/kg feed for two weeks, measuring radioactivity in mid intestine, hind intestine, kidney, and liver at days 3, 7, and 14 via liquid scintillation counting. Significantly elevated radioactivity was detected in the hind intestine and liver of exposed fish by day 14, with liver tissue equivalent to 1.8 µg polystyrene/g dry weight, demonstrating translocation of nanoplastics from the gut to systemic organs even at environmentally relevant low exposures.
14 C-labelled nanoplastics reveal size-dependent bioaccumulation in juvenile rainbow trout ( Oncorhynchus mykiss )
AI summary Read the abstract
Researchers used carbon-14-labelled nanoplastics to track size-dependent uptake, biodistribution, and elimination in juvenile rainbow trout at environmentally relevant concentrations. The study found that 20 nm particles translocated across gut tissue into internal organs, while larger 250 nm particles did not, demonstrating that nanoplastic bioaccumulation is strongly size-dependent even at very low exposure levels.
Uptake, distribution and elimination of palladium-doped polystyrene nanoplastics in rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) following dietary exposure
AI summary Read the abstract
Researchers tracked the uptake, tissue distribution, and elimination of palladium-doped polystyrene nanoplastics in rainbow trout during dietary exposure and depuration. The study found that nanoplastics accumulated primarily in the intestinal tissues and were also detected in the liver, gallbladder, and kidney, with incomplete clearance after the depuration period.
14 C-labelled nanoplastics reveal size-dependent bioaccumulation in juvenile rainbow trout ( Oncorhynchus mykiss )
AI summary Read the abstract
Using radiocarbon-labelled particles, researchers tracked how nanoplastics of different sizes accumulate and move through juvenile rainbow trout, showing that particle size determines how long nanoplastics stay in the fish and how far they translocate from the gut. Because rainbow trout are widely eaten and farmed, these findings have direct implications for understanding human exposure to nanoplastics through fish consumption.
Bioaccumulation and homeostatic alterations in trout exposed to a sublethal dose of polystyrene nanoplastics
AI summary Read the abstract
Researchers orally exposed rainbow trout to polystyrene nanoplastics and found the particles accumulated mainly in the gut and blood — not the liver — causing subtle immune and metabolic changes without visible tissue damage after 96 hours. These findings suggest nanoplastics selectively distribute in fish tissues and trigger mild biological responses even at sublethal doses.
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.