We can't find the internet
Attempting to reconnect
Something went wrong!
Hang in there while we get back on track
Plastic additive di(2-ethylhexyl)phthalate (DEHP) causes cell death and micronucleus induction on a bottlenose dolphin’s (Tursiops truncatus) in vitro-exposed skin cell line
AI summary Read the abstract
The plasticizer DEHP caused cell death and micronucleus formation (an indicator of genetic damage) in a bottlenose dolphin skin cell line at environmentally relevant concentrations. The results raise concern about the genotoxic potential of plastic chemical additives leaching from marine debris to cetaceans that regularly encounter plastic pollution.
Marine plastic pollution is one of the most concerning worldwide environmental issues, and research is day by day demonstrating its adverse effects on marine ecosystems. Nevertheless, little is still known about the toxic potential on marine fauna of chemical additives released by plastic debris. Here we investigated the cyto- and genotoxicity of the most used plasticizer in plastic production, di(2-ethylhexyl)phthalate (DEHP), on a skin cell line (TT) derived from the bottlenose dolphin ( Tursiops truncatus ), a species particularly exposed to the accumulation of this lipophilic pollutant, being a coastal top predator rich in fatty subcutaneous tissues. Dolphin cell cultures were exposed to increasing DEHP doses (0.01–5 mM) to evaluate effects on cell viability, cell death, and induction of DNA damage. On the hypothesis that bottlenose dolphin cells show greater resistance to DEHP toxicity than terrestrial mammals, as already shown for other pollutants, the same parameters were analyzed on exposed Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cell lines. Both MTT and Trypan Blue assays showed no significant decrease in dolphin’s cell viability after 24-h DEHP exposure. No induction of primary DNA damage was detected by the comet assay, whereas the cytokinesis-block micronucleus assay revealed significant micronuclei induction and inhibition of cell proliferation starting from the lowest DEHP doses. DEHP had similar but sharper and significant effects on cell viability in CHO cells, also causing a much greater induction of necrosis than that recorded on dolphin cells. For both cell lines, the lack of induction of primary DNA damage (i.e., strand breaks) together with the increase of micronuclei yield after DEHP treatment suggests an aneugenic effect of the phthalate, that is, the loss of entire chromosomes during cell division. Overall, the potential chromosome loss detected could constitute a threat for species of marine mammals constantly exposed to plastic marine litter.
More Papers Like This
Temporal and Spatial Evaluation of Mono(2-ethylhexyl) Phthalate (MEHP) Detection in Common Bottlenose Dolphins (Tursiops truncatus) from Sarasota Bay, Florida, USA
AI summary Read the abstract
Researchers detected the phthalate metabolite MEHP in urine samples from wild bottlenose dolphins in Sarasota Bay across multiple years and locations, finding temporal and spatial variation in exposure levels and confirming ongoing phthalate contamination in marine mammal populations.
Genotoxicity and Genomic Instability Induced by Micro- and Nanoplastics: A Comprehensive Multi-Taxa Mechanistic Review.
AI summary Read the abstract
This review of existing research found that tiny plastic particles (microplastics and nanoplastics) can damage DNA in many different living things, from fish to human cells. The plastic particles cause this damage by creating harmful molecules called free radicals, disrupting the body's ability to repair DNA, and triggering inflammation. These findings suggest that the growing amount of plastic pollution in our environment could pose serious health risks to humans and wildlife.
Plastic pollution and its pathophysiological impacts on mammalian cells
AI summary Read the abstract
This review examines the pathophysiological impacts of microplastics and nanoplastics on mammalian cells, discussing how environmental degradation of larger plastics generates micro- and nano-scale fragments that enter organisms through ingestion, accumulate via trophic transfer, and cause cellular toxicity. The authors synthesize laboratory evidence on MP and NP interactions with mammalian cells including membrane disruption, inflammation, and genotoxicity.
Urinary Phthalate Metabolites in Common Bottlenose Dolphins (Tursiops truncatus) From Sarasota Bay, FL, USA
AI summary Read the abstract
Researchers detected phthalate metabolites in the urine of wild common bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus) from Sarasota Bay, Florida, demonstrating that free-ranging dolphins are exposed to phthalate plasticizers from their environment and providing baseline data for ongoing health monitoring.
Phthalate exposure induces inflammatory signaling and alters mitochondrial respiration in marine mammal and human cells
AI summary Read the abstract
Exposure to MEHP, the active metabolite of the plasticizer DEHP, triggered species-specific inflammatory responses and metabolic shifts toward glycolysis in human, elephant seal, and dolphin cells—without causing outright cytotoxicity at most doses. These findings demonstrate that phthalate plasticizers leaching from plastics cause subcellular harm across mammalian species, linking microplastic chemical exposure directly to immune and mitochondrial dysfunction.
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.