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Nanoplastics potentiate mercury toxicity in a marine copepod under multigenerational exposure
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Researchers exposed tiny marine crustaceans called copepods to nanoplastics and mercury over three generations. They found that nanoplastics significantly increased mercury accumulation in the animals, leading to lower survival and reduced reproduction compared to mercury exposure alone. The study suggests nanoplastics act as carriers that amplify the harmful effects of toxic metals in marine ecosystems.
The continuous fragmentation of plastics and release of synthetic nanoplastics from products have been aggravating nanoplastic pollution in the marine ecosystem. The carrier role of nanoplastics may increase the bioavailability and toxicity effects of toxic metals, e.g., mercury (Hg), which is of growing concern. Here, the copepod Tigriopus japonicus was exposed to polystyrene nanoplastics (PS NPs) and Hg (alone or combined) at environmental realistic concentrations for three generations (F0-F2). Then, Hg accumulation, physiological endpoints, and transcriptome were analyzed. The results showed that the copepod's reproduction was significantly inhibited under PS NPs or Hg exposure. The presence of PS NPs caused significantly higher Hg accumulation, lower survival, and lower offspring production in copepods relative to Hg exposure, suggesting an increased threat to the copepod's survivorship and health. From the molecular perspective, combined PS NPs and Hg caused a graver effect on the DNA replication, cell cycle, and reproduction pathways relative to Hg exposure, linking to lower levels of survivorship and reproduction. Taken together, this study provides an early warning of nanoplastic pollution for the marine ecosystem not only because of their adverse effect per se but also their carrier role for increasing Hg bioaccumulation and toxicity in copepods.
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Microplastics at an environmentally relevant dose enhance mercury toxicity in a marine copepod under multigenerational exposure: Multi-omics perspective
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Researchers exposed tiny marine organisms called copepods to microplastics and mercury together across three generations at levels found in the environment. While microplastics alone had little effect, they made mercury much more toxic by increasing how much mercury built up in the organisms' bodies. This study shows that microplastics can act as carriers that amplify the harmful effects of other environmental pollutants, with the damage worsening over generations.
UV-Aged Nanoplastics Increase Mercury Toxicity in a Marine Copepod under Multigenerational Exposure: A Carrier Role
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Researchers found that UV-aged nanoplastics were much better at carrying mercury into the bodies of marine copepods than fresh nanoplastics, increasing mercury accumulation by over 50% across multiple generations. The combination of aged nanoplastics and mercury significantly reduced survival rates in offspring. Since most nanoplastics in the ocean have been weathered by sunlight, this study suggests the real-world risks of nanoplastic-metal combinations to marine food chains may be greater than lab studies with fresh plastics indicate.
Nanoplastics pose a greater effect than microplastics in enhancing mercury toxicity to marine copepods
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Researchers investigated whether nano- and microplastics can act as carriers of mercury, increasing its toxicity to marine copepods. The study found that polystyrene nano- and microplastics significantly increased mercury accumulation in the copepod Tigriopus japonicus, with nanoplastics posing a greater threat than microplastics due to their higher surface-area-to-volume ratio. Evidence indicates that nanoplastics enhanced mercury toxicity by disrupting genes related to development, energy metabolism, and stress defense.
Mercury can be transported into marine copepod by polystyrene nanoplastics but is not bioaccumulated: An increased risk?
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Researchers found that polystyrene nanoplastics can transport mercury into marine copepods, but the mercury is not bioaccumulated, suggesting nanoplastics may alter contaminant exposure pathways without necessarily increasing long-term body burdens.
Nanoplastics induce epigenetic signatures of transgenerational impairments associated with reproduction in copepods under ocean acidification
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This study examined how nanoplastics combined with ocean acidification affect tiny marine crustaceans called copepods across ten generations. Researchers found that the two stressors together caused synergistic harm to reproduction, with effects passed down to future generations through epigenetic changes in DNA. The findings suggest that climate change and plastic pollution may interact to create lasting, inherited damage in marine organisms.
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