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The Potential Toxic Effects of Ceftriaxone and Polypropylene Microplastics on Danio Rerio (Hamilton, 1822) Behaviour

Transylvanian Review of Systematical and Ecological Research 2025
Ramona-Alexandra Ciauşu, Ionuț-Alexandru Chelaru, Dorel Ureche, Gabriel-Andrei Andronic, Mircea Nicușor Nicoară

Summary

Researchers exposed zebrafish (Danio rerio) to the antibiotic ceftriaxone and polypropylene microplastics individually and in combination and found that both pollutants alone and together altered exploratory and social behaviors, with combined exposure potentially exacerbating behavioral abnormalities.

Polymers

Abstract The literature contains numerous studies on the individual effects of microplastics and pharmaceuticals that reach aquatic systems through various pathways. However, there are few studies that evaluate their combined effects. Ceftriaxone (CEF) and polypropylene (PP) are emerging pollutants found in the aquatic environment. The aim of the study was to evaluate the effects of ceftriaxone (50 µg L −1 ) and polypropylene (2 mg L −1 ) (individually and in mixture) on the behaviour of Danio rerio . The exposure to microplastics and antibiotics, alone or combined, differentially affect Danio rerio exploratory and social behaviours, with combined exposure potentially exacerbating behavioural alterations.

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