We can't find the internet
Attempting to reconnect
Something went wrong!
Hang in there while we get back on track
Chronic feeding exposure to virgin and spiked microplastics disrupts essential biological functions in teleost fish
AI summary Read the abstract
Researchers fed zebrafish and marine medaka environmentally relevant concentrations of virgin and chemically spiked polyethylene and PVC microplastics over four months. While classical biomarkers showed no changes, significant decreases in growth and disruptions to reproduction, gut integrity, and liver function were observed. The findings suggest that chronic dietary exposure to microplastics can disrupt essential biological functions in fish even without triggering traditional toxicity markers.
Toxicity of polyethylene (PE) and polyvinyl chloride (PVC) microplastics (MPs), either virgin or spiked with chemicals, was evaluated in two short-lived fish using a freshwater species, zebrafish, and a marine species, marine medaka. Exposures were performed through diet using environmentally relevant concentrations of MPs over 4 months. No modification of classical biomarkers, lipid peroxidation, genotoxicity or F0 behaviour was observed. A significant decrease in growth was reported after at least two months of exposure. This decrease was similar between species, independent from the type of MPs polymer and the presence or not of spiked chemicals, but was much stronger in females. The reproduction was evaluated and it revealed a significant decrease in the reproductive output for both species and in far more serious numbers in medaka. PVC appeared more reprotoxic than PE as were MPs spiked with PFOS and benzophenone-3 compared to MPs spiked with benzo[a]pyrene. Further, PVC-benzophenone-3 produced behavioural disruption in offspring larvae. These results obtained with two species representing different aquatic environments suggest that microplastics exert toxic effects, slightly different according to polymers and the presence or not of sorbed chemicals, which may lead in all cases to serious ecological disruptions.
More Papers Like This
Chronic Exposure of Adult Zebrafish to Polyethylene and Polyester-based Microplastics: Metabolomic and Gut Microbiome Alterations Reflecting Dysbiosis and Resilience
AI summary Read the abstract
Researchers exposed adult zebrafish to polyethylene and polyester microplastics at environmentally relevant concentrations and found significant disruptions to metabolic pathways and gut microbiome composition. Polyethylene primarily affected cell membrane compounds and inflammation-related metabolites, while polyester altered lipid metabolism and gut bacterial interactions. The study reveals that chronic microplastic exposure can cause subtle but meaningful shifts in fish metabolism and gut health, even at low concentrations.
Environmental microplastics disrupt swimming activity in acute exposure in Danio rerio larvae and reduce growth and reproduction success in chronic exposure in D. rerio and Oryzias melastigma
AI summary Read the abstract
Researchers exposed zebrafish and marine medaka to environmental microplastics collected from Caribbean beaches and found that acute exposure disrupted swimming behavior in larvae, while chronic dietary exposure reduced growth and reproduction by up to 70%. The study suggests that environmentally relevant microplastic concentrations can cause cross-generational effects, with offspring of exposed fish showing premature mortality.
Developmental Polyethylene Microplastic Fiber Exposure Entails Subtle Reproductive Impacts in Juvenile Japanese Medaka (Oryzias latipes)
AI summary Read the abstract
Japanese medaka fish exposed to environmentally relevant levels of polyethylene microplastic fibers throughout development showed subtle but measurable reproductive impacts including alterations in gonadal development. The findings suggest that chronic low-dose microplastic fiber exposure during early life may impair future reproductive capacity in fish.
Toxicological Assessment of Microplastics in Zebrafish: Biochemical Responses and Histopathological Changes
AI summary Read the abstract
Zebrafish were exposed to polyethylene microplastics (50 and 100 µm) at concentrations from 0.1 to 500 µg/L for up to 24 days, with bioaccumulation found to be dose-dependent and concentrated in the liver and gut. While survival was high (>95%), histopathological damage in liver and intestinal tissue increased significantly with dose.
Chronic exposure to low concentrations of microplastics causing gut tissue damage but non-significant changes in the microbiota of marine medaka larvae (Oryzias melastigma)
AI summary Read the abstract
Marine medaka fish larvae exposed to low concentrations of polyethylene and polylactic acid microplastics for 60 days showed no changes in growth or survival, but their intestinal tissue was visibly damaged with inflammation and loss of gut lining. The gut microbiome remained largely intact despite the physical tissue damage. This study suggests that microplastics can cause hidden gut injury even at low levels that do not affect outward signs of health, raising concerns about subtle damage going undetected.
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.