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61,005 resultsShowing papers similar to Size over substance: Microplastic particle size drives gene expression and fitness loss in a freshwater insect
ClearEffects of polyvinyl chloride microplastics on reproduction, oxidative stress and reproduction and detoxification-related genes in Daphnia magna
Researchers exposed water fleas (Daphnia magna) to PVC microplastics of two different sizes and measured effects on reproduction, oxidative stress, and gene expression. They found that smaller microplastics caused greater reproductive impairment and stronger oxidative stress responses, along with changes in genes related to reproduction and detoxification. The study demonstrates that microplastic size is an important factor in determining toxicity to freshwater invertebrates.
Differentiation in the expression of toxic effects of polyethylene-microplastics on two freshwater fish species: Size matters
Researchers exposed zebrafish and perch to two sizes of polyethylene microplastics for 21 days and found that smaller particles were more toxic, accumulating primarily in the liver while larger ones concentrated in the gills. Both sizes triggered oxidative stress, DNA damage, and activated cell death pathways in both species. The study demonstrates that microplastic particle size is a key factor in determining where the particles end up in fish tissues and how severely they cause harm.
Size matters either way: Differently-sized microplastics affect amphibian host and symbiotic microbiota discriminately
Researchers exposed toad tadpoles to two sizes of polystyrene microplastics and found both caused growth delays, but through different mechanisms. Larger particles disrupted gut bacteria, while smaller ones triggered stronger gene expression changes in tissues related to brain function and energy metabolism. The study suggests microplastic size matters for how toxicity manifests in amphibians.
Cellular effects of microplastics are influenced by their dimension: Mechanistic relationships and integrated criteria for particles definition.
Researchers exposed mussels to five different size classes of polyethylene microplastics and found that the smallest particles (20-50 micrometers) caused the most biological damage, including immune system changes and increased oxidative stress. The study provides experimental evidence that microplastic size matters significantly when assessing health risks. This is important for human health assessments because it suggests that the smallest microplastic particles, which are also the hardest to filter out of food and water, may be the most harmful.
Downsizing plastics, upsizing impact: How microplastic particle size affects Chironomus riparius bioturbation activity
This study tested how different sizes of polyethylene microplastics affect the burrowing behavior of freshwater midge larvae, which play an important role in mixing and aerating lake and river sediments. Smaller microplastics were ingested more readily and disrupted the larvae's sediment-mixing activity more than larger particles. Since these organisms are critical for healthy freshwater ecosystems, the findings suggest that small microplastics could disrupt nutrient cycling in lakes and rivers.
Microplastics alter toxicity of the insecticide Bacillus thuringiensis israelensis to chironomid larvae in different ways depending on particle size
Researchers tested the combined effects of polyethylene microplastics and the biological insecticide Bti on aquatic midge larvae over 21 days. They found that while microplastics alone did not affect larval survival, they modified the toxicity of Bti in a size-dependent manner, with smaller particles reducing Bti toxicity and larger particles increasing it. The study suggests that microplastic contamination in freshwater ecosystems could alter the effectiveness of biological pest control agents.
Different effects of nano- and microplastics on oxidative status and gut microbiota in the marine medaka Oryzias melastigma
Researchers compared the effects of nanoplastics and microplastics on oxidative stress and gut microbiota in marine medaka fish. They found that nanoplastics caused more severe oxidative damage and greater disruption to the gut microbial community than larger microplastic particles. The study suggests that particle size plays a critical role in determining the biological impact of plastic pollution on aquatic organisms.
Assessing the acute differential toxicity of polystyrene microplastic particles and comparing the impacts of bead-shaped versus fragmented particles on Daphnia magna
Researchers compared the toxicity of polystyrene microplastic fragments versus beads on tiny freshwater crustaceans (Daphnia magna) and found that jagged fragments were more harmful than smooth beads, causing greater mortality and triggering more stress-related genes — suggesting that the shape of a microplastic particle matters as much as its chemical makeup.
Effects of polystyrene nano- and microplastics and of microplastics with sorbed polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in adult zebrafish
Researchers exposed adult zebrafish to nano- and microplastic particles of different sizes, some carrying additional chemical pollutants, over a 21-day period. The study found that nanoplastics and microplastics triggered different stress responses in the fish, with nanoplastics altering antioxidant gene activity and microplastics causing liver changes. The findings suggest that particle size matters when it comes to the biological effects of plastic pollution in aquatic organisms.
The response of life history defense of cladocerans under predation risk varies with the size and concentration of microplastics
Microplastics at two particle sizes (0.7 and 1 micrometer) were found to interfere with anti-predation defense responses in two cladoceran species, with effects on life history traits depending on microplastic concentration and body size of the organism, highlighting complex ecological interactions in contaminated freshwater.
Ingestion of small-sized and irregularly shaped polyethylene microplastics affect Chironomus riparius life-history traits
Researchers exposed freshwater midge larvae to irregularly shaped polyethylene microplastics of different size classes and found that larvae preferentially ingested the smallest particles (32-63 micrometers) regardless of what sizes were available. Ingestion of these small particles significantly reduced larval growth and delayed adult emergence at relatively low concentrations. The findings suggest that small, irregularly shaped microplastics, which are the most common form in natural sediments, may pose a greater risk to benthic organisms than larger particles.
The effects of nano- and microplastic ingestion on the survivorship and reproduction of Aedes aegypti and Aedes albopictus (Diptera: Culicidae)
Researchers studied how nano- and microplastic ingestion affects survivorship and reproduction in small invertebrates, finding that exposure reduced reproductive output and survival rates in a dose-dependent manner. The results suggest that even environmentally relevant concentrations of plastic particles can impair fitness in aquatic invertebrates.
Size-dependent adverse effects of microplastics on intestinal microbiota and metabolic homeostasis in the marine medaka (Oryzias melastigma)
Researchers exposed marine medaka fish to different sizes of polystyrene microplastics for 60 days and found that particle size was a key factor in determining health effects. Larger particles (200 micrometers) caused weight gain and fat accumulation, while smaller particles (2 and 10 micrometers) led to liver inflammation and damage. The study also revealed that microplastics disrupted the balance of gut bacteria, particularly with larger particle exposure.
Increased food availability reducing the harmful effects of microplastics strongly depends on the size of microplastics
Researchers found that increased food availability reduced microplastic toxicity in the waterflea Daphnia magna, but this protective effect depended strongly on particle size, with the smallest nanoplastics remaining harmful even when food was plentiful.
Variable Fitness Response of Two Rotifer Species Exposed to Microplastics Particles: The Role of Food Quantity and Quality
This study examined how different sizes and types of microplastics affect two rotifer species, which are small aquatic animals important to freshwater food webs. The effects varied depending on the particle size, shape, and the amount and quality of food available to the rotifers. The findings show that the impact of microplastics on aquatic organisms depends heavily on environmental context, making risk assessment complex.
Ecological fitness impairments induced by chronic exposure to polyvinyl chloride nanospheres in Daphnia magna
Researchers exposed the freshwater organism Daphnia magna to environmentally relevant concentrations of polyvinyl chloride and polystyrene nanoplastics over 21 days. They found that PVC nanoplastics caused greater impairments to growth, reproduction, and overall ecological fitness compared to polystyrene particles of similar size. The study suggests that the chemical composition of nanoplastics, not just their size, plays a significant role in determining their toxicity to aquatic organisms.
Polymer-specific stress responses in planarians exposed to microplastics of similar size
Researchers exposed freshwater flatworms to three different types of microplastics of similar size through their diet and measured biochemical stress responses. They found that polyurethane particles triggered the most pronounced changes, including increased antioxidant enzyme activity and energy metabolism, while the other polymer types caused milder effects. The study demonstrates that the chemical composition of microplastics, not just their size, determines how organisms respond to them.
The Disadvantage of Having a Big Mouth: The Relationship between Insect Body Size and Microplastic Ingestion
Researchers explored the relationship between an animal's mouth size and its ingestion of microplastics, finding that species with larger mouths tended to consume more plastic particles inadvertently while feeding. This has implications for understanding which wildlife species face the greatest microplastic exposure risk.
Suborganismal responses of the aquatic midge Chironomus riparius to polyethylene microplastics
Researchers exposed Chironomus riparius larvae to polyethylene microplastics and used transcriptomics and metabolomics to characterize suborganismal responses, finding disruption of oxidative stress pathways, energy metabolism, and cuticle synthesis — effects not captured by standard life-history endpoints alone.
Environmentally relevant concentrations of polyethylene microplastics negatively impact the survival, growth and emergence of sediment-dwelling invertebrates
Researchers exposed sediment-dwelling invertebrates, including midges and worms, to environmentally realistic concentrations of polyethylene microplastics and found significant reductions in survival, growth, and emergence rates. The study provides evidence that even at concentrations currently found in freshwater sediments, microplastics can negatively affect benthic organisms that play key roles in ecosystem functioning.
The Disadvantageof Having a Big Mouth: The Relationshipbetween Insect Body Size and Microplastic Ingestion
Researchers investigated the relationship between insect body size and microplastic ingestion, finding that larger mouth openings increase exposure to bigger plastic particles while insects also physically fragment larger microplastics into nanoplastics. The study highlights insects as both vectors of microplastic transfer through food webs and active contributors to nanoplastic generation in terrestrial environments.
The Disadvantageof Having a Big Mouth: The Relationshipbetween Insect Body Size and Microplastic Ingestion
Researchers investigated the relationship between insect body size and microplastic ingestion, finding that larger mouth openings increase exposure to bigger plastic particles while insects also physically fragment larger microplastics into nanoplastics. The study highlights insects as both vectors of microplastic transfer through food webs and active contributors to nanoplastic generation in terrestrial environments.
Effects of polystyrene microspheres on the swimming behavior and metabolism of grass carp (Ctenopharyngodon idella)
Researchers exposed juvenile grass carp to polystyrene microspheres of different sizes and measured effects on swimming ability, metabolism, and oxidative stress. They found that smaller particles caused more severe impairment to swimming performance and triggered greater metabolic disruption over time. The study suggests that the size of microplastic particles matters significantly when assessing their potential harm to freshwater fish.
Particle size-dependent biomolecular footprints of interactive microplastics in maize
Researchers tested how five common types of microplastics at different particle sizes affect maize seedlings at the molecular and physiological level. The study found that smaller microplastic particles (75-150 micrometers) caused more cellular damage than larger ones, disrupting cell membranes, reducing photosynthetic pigments, and triggering stress responses. Mixtures of multiple plastic types were especially harmful, suggesting that real-world combinations of microplastic pollution may pose greater risks to crops than individual plastic types.