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Assessment of the Ecotoxicity of Nanoplastics
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This thesis evaluated methods for assessing the ecotoxicity of nanoplastics (50 nm) in aquatic environments, testing their effects on aquatic organisms under laboratory conditions. The study documented physical effects of nanoplastic ingestion in organisms from primary consumers to fish brain tissues, contributing to the development of standardized ecotoxicological testing frameworks for nanoplastics.
The presence of micro- and nanoplastics in aquatic environments (including freshwater and marine ecosystems as well as their sediments) is becoming an increasingly serious problem worldwide. A wide range of studies have addressed the ecological effects these particles pose on biota. The main exposure pathway are food chains, e.g. under laboratory conditions these particles accumulate in the brain tissues of fish that feed on zooplankton causing brain damage. These studies, however, report mainly on the physical effects. In order to establish actual ecotoxicological effects, nanoplastics (50 nm in diameter) were assessed using the Vibrio fischeri bioluminescence inhibition bioassay (VFBIA). Our results showed that even environmentally relevant concentrations might trigger ecotoxicological effects. This study can be con- sidered to be a first screening, however, results indicate the need for more complex testing on a battery of aquatic test organisms.
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Toxicological Research on Nano and Microplastics in Environmental Pollution: Current Advances and Future Directions
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This review summarizes existing research on how nano- and microplastics from our massive global plastic production enter aquatic environments, absorb harmful chemicals, and move through food chains into living organisms. Studies show these particles can cause brain damage, disrupt metabolism, trigger inflammation, and produce harmful oxidative stress in aquatic species, with microplastics even detected in commercial fish that people eat.
Biological Effects and Implications of Micro- and Nanoplastics in the Aquatic Environment
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This review summarizes what is known about the biological effects and implications of micro- and nanoplastics on aquatic organisms, covering a wide range of species from phytoplankton to fish. It highlights that while laboratory studies show harm at high concentrations, the effects at environmentally relevant levels are still poorly understood.
Nanoplastics impact on marine biota: A review
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Researchers reviewed the emerging toxicological literature on nanoplastics in marine ecosystems, distinguishing primary nanoplastics (manufactured at nanoscale) from secondary nanoplastics (fragmented from larger debris), and summarizing how nanoscale size changes particle reactivity and bioavailability in ways that differ substantially from their macro- and microscale counterparts.
Effect of nanoplastics on fish health and performance: A review
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Researchers reviewed studies on nanoplastics (particles smaller than 100 nm) in fish and found evidence of tissue accumulation, impaired locomotion and foraging, immune and growth disruption, altered lipid metabolism, and neurotoxicity, though mortality and developmental malformations had not yet been reported.
Towards harmonized ecotoxicological effect assessment of micro- and nanoplastics in aquatic systems
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This review highlights the methodological problems in current microplastic and nanoplastic toxicity research on freshwater organisms, including the use of unrealistic plastic types, poor test designs, and environmentally irrelevant doses. The authors propose a harmonized framework for testing that better reflects real-world conditions, including more realistic particle types and exposure levels. Better standardized research is essential for accurately assessing the true environmental and health risks of micro and nanoplastic pollution.
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