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Photoaging enhanced the adverse effects of polyamide microplastics on the growth, intestinal health, and lipid absorption in developing zebrafish
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Researchers found that polyamide microplastics became significantly more harmful to developing zebrafish after being aged by simulated sunlight, shrinking in size and generating nanoplastic fragments. The aged particles caused greater damage to intestinal health, impaired lipid absorption, and stunted growth compared to unaged microplastics. The study demonstrates that environmental weathering can substantially increase the biological risks posed by microplastics in aquatic ecosystems.
The safety of microplastics (MPs) and associated health effects has been one of the major concerns worldwide. However, the role of photoaging toward the risk of MPs in water ecosystems remains inconclusive yet. In this study, the size of polyamide (PA, ∼32.50 μm) MPs was obviously decreased after photoaging in water containing fulvic acid (FA) and humic acid (HA) (∼19.75 and ∼24.30 μm, respectively). Nanoplastics were formed (4.65% and 2.03%, respectively) and hydrophilia and colloidal stability was improved due to the formation of oxygen-containing functional groups. FA-aged PA exhibited higher inhibition on body length and weight of developing zebrafish than HA-aged and pristine PA. Photoaged MPs in intestine were more difficult to be depurated by zebrafish, leading to the disappearance of intestinal folding, shedding of more enterocytes, and emaciation of intestinal microvilli. Dietary lipid digestion in larvae was inhibited by aged PA due to oxidative stress-triggered lipid peroxidation and inhibition of lipase activities and bile acids secretion. Exposure of photoaged MPs down-regulated genes (cd36, dgat1a, dgat2, mttp, etc.) associated with triglyceride resynthesis and transportation, resulting in lipid maladsorption and growth inhibition. Our findings highlight the potential negative effects of environmentally aged MPs on diet digestion and nutrient assimilation in fish.
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Photo-Oxidative Degradation Mitigated the Developmental Toxicity of Polyamide Microplastics to Zebrafish Larvae by Modulating Macrophage-Triggered Proinflammatory Responses and Apoptosis
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Visible light photo-oxidation of polyamide microplastics for 90 days reduced particle size, generated nanoparticles, and significantly mitigated developmental toxicity in zebrafish larvae by modulating macrophage-triggered inflammatory responses and apoptosis — suggesting weathering can reduce but not eliminate MP toxicity.
Photoaged microplastics induce neurotoxicity via oxidative stress and abnormal neurotransmission in zebrafish larvae (Danio rerio)
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This study found that microplastics aged by sunlight were more toxic to zebrafish larvae than fresh microplastics, causing brain damage and abnormal behavior. The sun-aged particles triggered greater oxidative stress and disrupted neurotransmitter systems in the developing fish. This is concerning because most microplastics in the environment have been weathered by sunlight, meaning the real-world health risks may be greater than lab studies using fresh plastics suggest.
Aged microplastics-induced growth inhibition via DNA damage, GH/IGF-1 and HPT axes disruption in zebrafish larvae
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Researchers compared the developmental effects of pristine versus sunlight-aged polystyrene microplastics on zebrafish embryos at environmentally relevant concentrations. They found that aged microplastics were more toxic than pristine ones, causing greater growth inhibition, DNA damage, and disruption of hormonal pathways involved in growth and thyroid function. The study suggests that as microplastics weather in the environment, they may become increasingly harmful to developing aquatic organisms.
Artificial UVC-aging process aggravates the toxicity of polystyrene microplastics to zebrafish, especially females
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When plastic microparticles get "weathered" by sunlight, they may become even more harmful than fresh plastic bits—at least in fish. Researchers found that sun-aged microplastics caused more oxidative stress, gut bacteria imbalances, and metabolic problems in zebrafish, with female fish hit hardest, suggesting that plastics floating around in lakes and rivers may become more toxic over time as they break down, not less. Since these microplastics come from the same everyday plastics we use, this raises questions about whether prolonged sun exposure could similarly affect microplastics' impact on human health.
Photolytic degradation elevated the toxicity of polylactic acid microplastics to developing zebrafish by triggering mitochondrial dysfunction and apoptosis
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Researchers found that biodegradable polylactic acid (PLA) microplastics become more toxic to zebrafish after being broken down by sunlight over 90 days. UV exposure shrank the particles and generated nanoplastics, which were harder for the fish to expel from their bodies compared to the original material. The degraded PLA triggered oxidative stress and mitochondrial damage in developing zebrafish, suggesting that the environmental breakdown of biodegradable plastics may actually increase their harmful effects.
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