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61,005 resultsShowing papers similar to Size-Dependent Toxicityof Polystyrene Nanoplasticsto Tetrahymena thermophila: A Toxicokinetic–ToxicodynamicAssessment
ClearSize-Dependent Toxicity of Polystyrene Nanoplastics to Tetrahymena thermophila: A Toxicokinetic–Toxicodynamic Assessment
Researchers tested three sizes of polystyrene nanoplastics on single-celled organisms and found that smaller particles were significantly more toxic, with the smallest (30 nm) causing genetic damage at concentrations already found in some waterways. This size-dependent toxicity pattern is concerning because as plastics break down in the environment, they produce ever-smaller particles that may be increasingly harmful to living organisms.
Toxicokinetic-toxicodynamic modeling reveals the ecological risks of differently-sized polystyrene nanoplastics
Using advanced modeling, researchers determined safety thresholds for different sizes of polystyrene nanoplastics in aquatic organisms. Smaller nanoplastics (30 nm) were the most toxic, while 80 nm particles were unusually persistent because they accumulated at the highest levels and were eliminated the slowest. The study provides important data for setting environmental safety standards that could help protect both aquatic ecosystems and the humans who depend on them for food.
Size-Dependent Effects of Polystyrene Nanoplastics on Freshwater Microalgae After Long-Term Exposure
Researchers exposed a common freshwater algae species to polystyrene nanoplastics of three different sizes over an extended period. They found that the smallest particles caused the most damage to algae cells, while the largest particles had relatively mild effects, revealing a clear size-dependent toxicity pattern. The study suggests that the tiniest nanoplastic particles in freshwater environments may pose the greatest risk to the base of aquatic food webs.
Toxicological effects of nano- and micro-polystyrene plastics on red tilapia: Are larger plastic particles more harmless?
Researchers exposed red tilapia to three sizes of polystyrene particles (0.3, 5, and 70-90 micrometers) to compare their toxic effects. The study found that the largest particles showed the highest accumulation in tissues, but all sizes induced oxidative stress, disrupted cytochrome P450 enzymes, caused neurotoxicity, and altered metabolic profiles, indicating that even smaller nanoplastics can cause significant harm to fish.
Are the primary characteristics of polystyrene nanoplastics responsible for toxicity and ad/absorption in the marine diatom Phaeodactylum tricornutum?
Researchers exposed the marine diatom Phaeodactylum tricornutum to 50 nm and 100 nm polystyrene nanoplastics and found that smaller particles triggered faster oxidative stress and photosynthetic damage while larger ones were more stable and caused greater growth inhibition over 72 hours, illustrating how particle size shapes toxicity dynamics in marine algae.
Potential for high toxicity of polystyrene nanoplastics to the European Daphnia longispina
Researchers exposed water fleas (Daphnia) to polystyrene nanoplastics and found that 50 nm particles were thousands of times more toxic per unit mass than 100 nm particles, with effects comparable to highly regulated toxic chemicals. The results highlight how particle size dramatically changes nanoplastic hazard and challenge the assumption that microplastics pose low ecological risk.
Defining the size ranges of polystyrene nanoplastics according to their ability to cross biological barriers
Researchers systematically examined polystyrene nanoplastics of different sizes to define the size ranges at which they can cross biological barriers, providing a more precise definition of nanoplastic dimensions relevant to toxicological assessment.
Polystyrene nanoplastics as an ecotoxicological hazard: cellular and transcriptomic evidences on marine and freshwater in vitro teleost models
Researchers tested the effects of two sizes of polystyrene nanoplastics on fish cell lines from both freshwater and marine species. They found that smaller 20-nanometer particles were significantly more toxic than larger 80-nanometer ones, causing cell death through apoptosis and disrupting multiple biological pathways. The study provides evidence that nanoplastic size is a key factor in determining toxicity to aquatic organisms.
Polystyrene Nanoplastic Behavior and Toxicity on Crustacean Daphnia magna: Media Composition, Size, and Surface Charge Effects
Researchers examined how size and surface charge of polystyrene nanoplastics (20-100 nm) affected their behavior and toxicity to Daphnia magna in different water media, finding that smaller particles and certain media compositions significantly increased toxicity and aggregation patterns.
Physiological and molecular responses to different sizes of polystyrene micro/nanoplastics in the model unicellular eukaryote Paramecium tetraurelia
Researchers exposed single-celled organisms (Paramecium) to polystyrene micro- and nanoplastics of different sizes and found that toxicity increased as particle size decreased. The smallest particles caused the most significant oxidative stress, DNA damage, and disruption to cellular functions including energy metabolism and waste processing. The study provides evidence that nanoplastics pose greater risks to aquatic microorganisms than larger microplastic particles.
Cellular interactions with polystyrene nanoplastics—The role of particle size and protein corona
Researchers investigated how polystyrene nanoplastics interact with mammalian cells, finding that particle size and the protein corona that forms around particles in biological fluids strongly influence cellular uptake and toxicity. Smaller nanoplastics penetrated cell membranes more readily and caused greater disruption, suggesting that the tiniest plastic particles may pose the greatest biological risk.
Polystyrene (nano)microplastics cause size-dependent neurotoxicity, oxidative damage and other adverse effects inCaenorhabditis elegans
Researchers found that polystyrene micro- and nanoplastics cause neurotoxicity and oxidative damage in the model organism C. elegans, with effects varying by particle size. Smaller nanoscale particles tended to cause more severe toxic responses than larger microplastic particles. The study highlights that the size of plastic particles is an important factor in determining how harmful they are to living organisms.
Micro- and nanoplastic toxicity: A review on size, type, source, and test-organism implications
This comprehensive review analyzed 615 studies on the toxicity of micro- and nanoplastics across different polymer types, sizes, and organisms. A major finding is that over 90% of nanoplastic research uses only polystyrene, leaving huge gaps in our understanding of other common plastics at the nanoscale. The review highlights that smaller particles are generally more toxic and that more research is urgently needed on the nanoplastics people are most likely to encounter in everyday life.
Controlled protein mediated aggregation of polystyrene nanoplastics does not reduce toxicity towards Daphnia magna
Researchers found that protein-mediated aggregation of polystyrene nanoplastics into larger clusters did not reduce their toxicity to Daphnia magna, whereas solid particles of equivalent aggregate size were non-toxic, suggesting aggregation state alone does not determine nanoplastic hazard.
Mechanism of Growth Phase-Dependent Nanoplastic Bioaccumulation in Tetrahymena thermophila
Researchers investigated how the growth phase of the ciliate Tetrahymena thermophila affects the bioaccumulation of polystyrene nanoplastics, finding that exponential-phase cells accumulated significantly more nanoplastics than stationary-phase cells. The results suggest that organism growth state is an important but often overlooked factor in nanoplastic bioaccumulation studies.
Acute toxicity of nanoplastics on Daphnia and Gammarus neonates: Effects of surface charge, heteroaggregation, and water properties
Researchers examined nanoplastic toxicity on crustacean neonates and found that smaller particles (20-40 nm) were more toxic, with surface charge and aggregation behavior being the primary factors influencing toxicity depending on species and water conditions.
Toxic effects of polystyrene nanoplastics on microalgae Chlorella vulgaris: Changes in biomass, photosynthetic pigments and morphology
This study tested how polystyrene nanoplastics of three different sizes affect green algae and found a clear pattern: smaller particles were more toxic than larger ones. The smallest nanoplastics (90 nm) caused the greatest reductions in algal growth and photosynthetic pigments, along with visible changes in cell shape and increased clumping. The findings suggest that as plastics break down into ever-smaller particles in the environment, their potential for biological harm may increase.
Comparative toxicity of polystyrene, polypropylene, and polyethylene nanoplastics on Artemia franciscana nauplii: a multidimensional assessment
Researchers compared the toxic effects of three common plastic types — polystyrene, polypropylene, and polyethylene — in nanoplastic form on brine shrimp larvae. They found that all three types caused harm, but polystyrene nanoplastics were the most toxic across multiple biological measures. The study provides the first direct comparison showing that the chemical composition of nanoplastics significantly influences their toxicity to aquatic organisms.
Impacts of size-fractionation on toxicity of marine microplastics: Enhanced integrated biomarker assessment in the tropical mussels, Perna viridis
Researchers studied how different sizes of polystyrene microplastics (0.5, 5, and 50 micrometers) affect toxicity in tropical green mussels. The study found that smaller microplastics caused greater bioaccumulation and more severe toxic effects, including oxidative stress and tissue damage, indicating that size is a critical factor in determining microplastic toxicity in marine organisms.
Potential for high toxicity of polystyrene nanoplastics to the European Daphnia longispina
Researchers found that polystyrene nanoplastics caused high toxicity in three genetically distinct clones of the European water flea Daphnia longispina, highlighting the ecological hazard of nanoplastics and the importance of reporting exposure in particle count rather than mass metrics.
Size-dependent and tissue specific accumulation of polystyrene microplastics and nanoplastics in zebrafish
Researchers tracked size-dependent accumulation of polystyrene micro- and nanoplastics in multiple zebrafish tissues, finding that smaller particles distributed more broadly throughout the body compared to larger ones. Nanoplastics showed greater systemic distribution including into brain and reproductive tissues, raising concerns about size-dependent health risks.
Mechanisms Underlying the Size-Dependent Neurotoxicity of Polystyrene Nanoplastics in Zebrafish
Scientists discovered that smaller nanoplastics cause more severe brain and nerve damage in zebrafish than larger ones, and identified the molecular pathways behind this size-dependent toxicity. The smaller particles more easily crossed biological barriers and triggered greater oxidative stress and inflammation in the nervous system, which is important for understanding potential neurological risks of nanoplastic exposure.
Nanoplastics in the oceans: Theory, experimental evidence and real world
Researchers critically review over 200 studies on nanoplastic pollution — focusing predominantly on polystyrene — synthesizing knowledge on how nanoplastics form from polymer degradation, accumulate in seawater, and affect organisms in controlled conditions, while identifying key methodological standards needed for reliable ecotoxicological assessments.
Protein binding on acutely toxic and non-toxic polystyrene nanoparticles during filtration by Daphnia magna
Researchers investigated protein binding on acutely toxic versus non-toxic polystyrene nanoparticles during filtration by Daphnia magna zooplankton, finding that the two particle types bind different protein profiles, suggesting that surface protein corona composition may help explain differential toxicity outcomes.