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Label-free detection of polystyrene nanoparticles in Daphnia magna using Raman confocal mapping
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Researchers demonstrated that Raman confocal mapping can detect polystyrene nanoparticles inside Daphnia magna without labels or dyes, revealing particle accumulation in the gut and providing a non-invasive method for studying nanoplastic uptake in organisms.
Micro- and nanoplastic pollution has emerged as a global environmental problem. Moreover, plastic particles are of increasing concern for human health. However, the detection of so-called nanoplastics in relevant biological compartments remains a challenge. Here we show that Raman confocal spectroscopy-microscopy can be deployed for the non-invasive detection of amine-functionalized and carboxy-functionalized polystyrene (PS) nanoparticles (NPs) in Daphnia magna. The presence of PS NPs in the gastrointestinal (GI) tract of D. magna was confirmed by using transmission electron microscopy. Furthermore, we investigated the ability of NH2-PS NPs and COOH-PS NPs to disrupt the epithelial barrier of the GI tract using the human colon adenocarcinoma cell line HT-29. To this end, the cells were differentiated for 21 days and then exposed to PS NPs followed by cytotoxicity assessment and transepithelial electrical resistance measurements. A minor disruption of barrier integrity was noted for COOH-PS NPs, but not for the NH2-PS NPs, while no overt cytotoxicity was observed for both NPs. This study provides evidence of the feasibility of applying label-free approaches, i.e., confocal Raman mapping, to study PS NPs in a biological system.
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Confocal surface-enhanced Raman imaging of the intestine barrier crossing behavior of nanoplastics in Daphnia magna
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Using a specially engineered nanoplastic particle visible under confocal Raman imaging, researchers tracked how nanoplastics move from the gut into other organs of the water flea Daphnia magna. The study revealed that nanoplastics can cross the intestinal barrier and translocate to other body parts, providing direct visual evidence of how these particles spread through a living organism and raising concerns about similar processes in other aquatic animals.
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Researchers developed a Raman spectroscopic imaging method to localize and identify polystyrene microplastic particles directly within tissue sections, enabling in-situ detection without fluorescent labeling and making environmental sample analysis feasible.
Confocal Surface-enhanced Raman Imaging of the Intestine Barrier Crossing Behavior of Dual-functional Plasmonic Nanoplastics in Daphnia magna
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Using gold-coated polystyrene nanoplastics as dual-function probes, researchers tracked how nanoplastics move through the body of the water flea Daphnia magna after ingestion, observing that particles initially accumulate in the intestine and then translocate to other organs within four hours at environmentally concerning concentrations. This direct visualization of inter-organ translocation in a key aquatic model organism strengthens concerns that nanoplastic pollution can spread beyond the gut and affect multiple body systems.
Correlative spectroscopy and microscopy analysis of micro- and nanoplastics in complex biological matrices
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Researchers combined fluorescence microscopy, second harmonic generation imaging, and coherent Raman scattering to detect and map micro- and nanoplastics in lung cells, zebrafish, and mouse tissues. Polystyrene nanoplastics were found to cross the blood-brain barrier and accumulate in lipid-rich brain regions in animal models.
Confocal Surface-Enhanced Raman Imaging of the Intestinal Barrier Crossing Behavior of Model Nanoplastics in Daphnia Magna
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Using advanced Raman imaging, researchers directly observed nanoplastic particles crossing the intestinal wall of water fleas (Daphnia magna) for the first time. They identified two specific cellular mechanisms — clathrin-dependent endocytosis and macropinocytosis — that cells use to absorb the tiny plastic particles. This study provides concrete evidence of how nanoplastics can pass through the gut barrier into the body, a process relevant to understanding human exposure through food and water.
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