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Multi-biomarkers hazard assessment of microplastics with different polymers by acute embryo test and chronic larvae test with zebrafish (Danio rerio)
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Researchers compared the toxicity of four common microplastic types to zebrafish using both short-term embryo and longer-term larval tests. While none of the microplastics affected embryo development at environmentally relevant concentrations, chronic exposure caused accelerated heartbeat rates and altered swimming behavior in larvae. The study highlights that different polymer types produce varying toxic effects and that longer-term exposure assessments may be more revealing than short-term tests.
Microplastics as emerging contaminants show various composition features in the environment. However, influence of polymer types on the toxicity of microplastics is still unclear, thus affecting evaluation of their toxicity and ecological risks. In this work, toxic effects of microplastics (fragment, 52-74 μm) with different polymer types including polyethylene (PE), polyethylene terephthalate (PET), polypropylene (PP) and polystyrene (PS) to zebrafish (Danio rerio) were studied using acute embryo test and chronic larvae test. Silicon dioxide (SiO) was used as a control representing natural particles. Results showed microplastics with different polymers had no influence on embryonic development at environmental relevant concentration (10 particles/L), but could lead to accelerated heartbeat rate and increased embryonic death when exposed to SiO, PE and PS at higher concentrations (10 and 10 particles/L). Chronic exposure for zebrafish larvae indicated different polymers of microplastics did not affect zebrafish larvae' feeding and growth, nor induce oxidative stress. But larvae' locomotion level and AChE (acetylcholinesterase) activities could be inhibited by SiO and microplastics at 10 particles/L. Our study demonstrated negligible toxicity of microplastics at environmental relevant concentration, while different polymers of microplastics have similar toxic effects as SiO at high concentrations. We suggest that microplastic particles may have the same biological toxicity as natural particles.
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This dissertation examined the toxicity of individual polymer chemistries—rather than generic microplastic mixtures—on zebrafish embryos and larvae, finding polymer-specific differences in developmental toxicity, behavioral disruption, and biochemical pathway activation across multiple plastic types.
Multi-Laboratory Hazard Assessment of Contaminated Microplastic Particles by Means of Enhanced Fish Embryo Test With the Zebrafish (Danio rerio)
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Researchers exposed sac fry zebrafish (Danio rerio) to weathered and virgin microplastics of various polymer types and found significant morphometric developmental effects, with weathered plastics generally causing greater biological harm than virgin counterparts due to differences in surface chemistry and plasticizer content.
Size- and polymer-dependent effects of polystyrene and polyethylene micro- and nanoplastics in zebrafish (Danio rerio)
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Researchers systematically compared polystyrene and polyethylene micro- and nanoplastics in zebrafish embryos and larvae, finding that nanoplastics caused mortality, impaired hatching, and disrupted swimming behavior at lower concentrations than microplastics, with surface adhesion to embryonic tissues emerging as a likely initiating mechanism for nanoplastic toxicity.
Bioaccumulation of various nanoplastic particles in larval zebrafish (Danio rerio)
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Researchers exposed larval zebrafish (Danio rerio) to 40-60 nm and 100 nm polystyrene nanoplastic particles using standard fish embryo toxicity and general behavioral toxicity assays from 6-120 hours post-fertilization, combining toxicity endpoints with fluorescence microscopy to confirm particle uptake and excretion. The study demonstrated nanoplastic accumulation within zebrafish larvae at tested concentrations, providing mechanistic insights into aquatic organism exposure dynamics for nanoplastics.
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