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Metabolic saboteurs: Tire wear particles hijack energy economy of zooplankton
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Researchers investigated how tire wear particles, a significant source of marine microplastic pollution, affect the marine rotifer Brachionus plicatilis. They found that both micron-sized and nano-sized tire particles reduced rotifer motility by disrupting metabolism, depleting energy reserves, and causing mitochondrial dysfunction. The study suggests that even low concentrations of tire wear particles pose ecological risks to marine zooplankton through metabolic and oxidative stress mechanisms.
Tire wear particles (TWP) represent a significant source of marine microplastic pollution and have been shown to pose a considerable threat to marine organisms. In this study, the marine rotifer Brachionus plicatilis was employed as a model organism to systematically assess the effects of micron-sized and nano-sized TWP, as well as their leachates, on rotifer behavior, and underlying molecular mechanisms. The results revealed that TWP exposure significantly reduced rotifer motility, evidenced by decreased swimming speed and acceleration. Further investigation revealed that TWP-induced suppression of rotifer motility was mechanistically linked to metabolic disturbances (reduced amylase activity, triglyceride, and neutral lipid levels) and mitochondrial dysfunction (oxidative stress, ATP depletion, and autophagy activation). Concurrently, rotifers counteracted TWP-induced stress by activating oxidative stress responses and mitophagy pathways, while concurrently initiating compensatory feeding to alleviate energy depletion. Notably, N-acetylcysteine supplementation significantly mitigated TWP-induced mitochondrial dysfunction and metabolic disturbances. Furthermore, a significant dose-dependent decline in Biomarker Response Index (BRI) values was observed with increasing TWP concentrations. This study elucidates TWP's toxic mechanisms in aquatic organisms and underscores low-concentration exposure risks, providing key evidence for assessing long-term ecological impacts of microplastic pollution.
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Phenotypic toxicity, oxidative response, and transcriptomic deregulation of the rotifer Brachionus plicatilis exposed to a toxic cocktail of tire-wear particle leachate
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Researchers exposed the marine rotifer Brachionus plicatilis to tire-wear particle leachate and observed acute toxicity, oxidative stress, and widespread changes in gene expression related to cellular processes and metabolism. The study suggests that tire-wear particles may pose a greater threat to marine organisms than other microplastics because they release a complex cocktail of nano-sized particles and chemical additives with synergistic toxic effects.
Metabolism deficiency and oxidative stress induced by plastic particles in the rotifer Brachionus plicatilis: Common and distinct phenotypic and transcriptomic responses to nano- and microplastics
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Researchers found that nanoplastics caused stronger reproductive and population growth inhibition in the marine rotifer Brachionus plicatilis than microplastics, with transcriptomic analysis revealing distinct size-dependent toxicity pathways involving metabolism deficiency and oxidative stress.
Toxicity and intergenerational accumulation effect of tire wear particles and their leachate on Brachionus plicatilis
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Researchers studied tire wear particles, a major source of microplastics in oceans, and found they harm tiny marine animals called rotifers across multiple generations. The toxic effects actually got worse over generations, with repeated exposure being more harmful than single-generation exposure. The zinc and chemical additives in tire particles were the main drivers of toxicity, raising concerns about the growing impact of tire-derived microplastics on marine food chains.
Effects of microplastics on reproductive characteristics and mechanisms of the marine rotifer Brachionus plicatilis
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Researchers exposed marine rotifers (tiny animals at the base of the ocean food chain) to naturally aged microplastics collected from Japanese coastal waters and found reduced reproduction and population growth. The microplastics triggered oxidative stress and suppressed genes involved in reproduction. Since rotifers are food for many fish species, harm to their populations could ripple up through the food chain.
Adverse effects of environmentally relevant microplastics on in vivo endpoints, oxidative stress, and mitogen-activated protein kinase signaling pathway and multixenobiotic resistance system in the marine rotifer Brachionus plicatilis
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Researchers compared the toxicological effects of different types of microplastics on marine rotifers, including fossil fuel-based, bio-based, and biodegradable varieties. The study found that all microplastic types reduced reproductive output and lifespan at environmentally relevant concentrations, with each type triggering distinct patterns of oxidative stress and cellular defense responses, highlighting ecological risks from both conventional and alternative plastics.
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