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61,005 resultsShowing papers similar to Impact of virgin and weathered microplastics on zebrafish: Bioaccumulation, developmental toxicity and molecular pathway disruptions
ClearAged polystyrene microplastics exposure affects apoptosis via inducing mitochondrial dysfunction and oxidative stress in early life of zebrafish
Zebrafish embryos exposed to UV-aged polystyrene microplastics at environmental concentrations showed more severe developmental problems than those exposed to fresh microplastics. The aged particles caused greater oxidative stress and mitochondrial damage, triggering increased cell death during early development -- suggesting that weathered microplastics in the real environment may be more harmful than the pristine particles typically used in lab studies.
Photoaged microplastics induce neurotoxicity via oxidative stress and abnormal neurotransmission in zebrafish larvae (Danio rerio)
This study found that microplastics aged by sunlight were more toxic to zebrafish larvae than fresh microplastics, causing brain damage and abnormal behavior. The sun-aged particles triggered greater oxidative stress and disrupted neurotransmitter systems in the developing fish. This is concerning because most microplastics in the environment have been weathered by sunlight, meaning the real-world health risks may be greater than lab studies using fresh plastics suggest.
Impact of aged and virgin polyethylene microplastics on multi end-points effects of freshwater fish tissues
Freshwater fish exposed to polyethylene microplastics for 15 days showed increased oxidative stress in both liver and muscle tissue, with aged, UV-weathered microplastics causing more damage than new ones. The weathering process changed the plastic surface in ways that made the particles more chemically reactive and potentially more harmful. This matters because microplastics in the environment are typically aged, meaning lab studies using only pristine particles may underestimate real-world toxicity.
Toxic effects of naturally-aged microplastics on zebrafish juveniles: A more realistic approach to plastic pollution in freshwater ecosystems
Researchers exposed juvenile zebrafish to naturally aged polystyrene microplastics at environmentally relevant concentrations for five days. They found that the microplastics disrupted the fish's antioxidant defenses, indicating oxidative stress, and caused measurable cellular and neurological impacts. The study suggests that even short-term exposure to realistic levels of weathered microplastics can affect the health of freshwater organisms.
Effects of chronic exposure of naturally weathered microplastics on oxidative stress level, behaviour, and mitochondrial function of adult zebrafish (Danio rerio)
Researchers exposed adult zebrafish to naturally weathered microplastics for 21 days and assessed behavioral changes, oxidative stress, and mitochondrial function. The study found that weathered microplastics induced anxiety-like behavior, elevated oxidative stress markers, and disrupted mitochondrial function, suggesting that real-world weathered microplastics may pose different biological risks than pristine laboratory particles.
Aged nanoplastics reprogram the ER stress-autophagy crosstalk: A mechanistic gateway to skeletal malformations in zebrafish
Researchers exposed zebrafish embryos to both new and UV-aged nanoplastics and found that the aged particles caused significantly worse skeletal deformities, higher mortality, and lower hatching rates. The aged nanoplastics disrupted cellular stress responses and a self-cleaning process called autophagy in developing bone and cartilage cells. The study suggests that weathered nanoplastics in the environment may pose greater developmental risks than freshly produced particles.
Behavioral and molecular effects of micro and nanoplastics across three plastic types in fish: weathered microfibers induce a similar response to nanosized particles
This study compared the effects of different types of micro and nanoplastics on fish behavior and gene expression, including weathered microfibers that better represent what is actually found in the environment. Weathered microfibers caused behavioral and molecular changes similar to much smaller nanoplastics, suggesting that the aging process makes larger particles more biologically active. This is important because most lab studies use pristine plastic beads, which may underestimate the true toxicity of real-world microplastic pollution.
Toxicity evaluation of the combination of emerging pollutants with polyethylene microplastics in zebrafish: Perspective study of genotoxicity, mutagenicity, and redox unbalance
Researchers exposed adult zebrafish to polyethylene microplastics combined with a mixture of common water pollutants for 15 days and assessed DNA damage, mutation rates, and oxidative stress. They found that microplastics alone caused DNA damage and nuclear abnormalities as severe as those caused by the pollutant mixture, challenging the assumption that microplastics are less harmful than chemical contaminants. The study revealed that the fish's antioxidant defenses were overwhelmed across multiple organs, suggesting widespread oxidative damage from microplastic exposure.
Weathering pathways and protocols for environmentally relevant microplastics and nanoplastics: What are we missing?
This review highlights a major gap in microplastics research: most lab studies use brand-new, pristine plastic particles, but microplastics in the real world have been weathered by sunlight, water, and biological activity. Weathered microplastics behave differently, releasing more chemicals and interacting with organisms in ways that fresh plastics do not. Only about 10% of published studies have used aged microplastics, meaning current risk assessments may not reflect the true dangers of environmental microplastic exposure.
Morphometric effects of various weathered and virgin/pure microplastics on sac fry zebrafish (Danio rerio)
Researchers exposed sac fry zebrafish (Danio rerio) to weathered and virgin microplastics of various polymer types and found significant morphometric developmental effects, with weathered plastics generally causing greater biological harm than virgin counterparts due to differences in surface chemistry and plasticizer content.
Photoaging enhanced the adverse effects of polyamide microplastics on the growth, intestinal health, and lipid absorption in developing zebrafish
Researchers found that polyamide microplastics became significantly more harmful to developing zebrafish after being aged by simulated sunlight, shrinking in size and generating nanoplastic fragments. The aged particles caused greater damage to intestinal health, impaired lipid absorption, and stunted growth compared to unaged microplastics. The study demonstrates that environmental weathering can substantially increase the biological risks posed by microplastics in aquatic ecosystems.
Secondary PVC microplastics are more toxic than primary PVC microplastics to Oryzias melastigma embryos
Researchers compared the toxicity of weathered secondary PVC microplastics to pristine primary particles using marine fish embryos. They found that the secondary microplastics caused earlier hatching, more developmental abnormalities, and greater oxidative stress than the primary ones. The study demonstrates that the irregular, partially degraded microplastics found in the ocean are likely more harmful to marine life than the smooth manufactured particles typically used in laboratory tests.
In-depth comparative immunotoxicity assessment of pristine and aged PLA microplastics in zebrafish larvae: Bioaccumulation and NF-κB signaling insights
Researchers compared the immunotoxic effects of pristine and UV-aged polylactic acid (PLA) microplastics on zebrafish larvae. They found that aged PLA showed greater bioaccumulation and stronger immunotoxic effects, including intensified oxidative stress, suppressed immune function, and activation of the NF-kB inflammatory signaling pathway. The study provides evidence that biodegradable plastics may pose greater ecological risks after environmental weathering than in their original form.
Comparison of gut toxicity and microbiome effects in zebrafish exposed to polypropylene microplastics: Interesting effects of UV-weathering on microbiome
Zebrafish exposed to UV-weathered polypropylene microplastics showed different and sometimes more severe gut damage than those exposed to fresh microplastics, including greater accumulation in the digestive tract and more disruption of gut bacteria. Interestingly, the weathered microplastics enriched certain beneficial gut bacteria while the fresh ones did not. This matters because real-world microplastics are weathered by sunlight, meaning lab studies using only pristine plastics may underestimate actual health risks.
Comparative toxicity of virgin and biodegraded LLDPE microplastics on growth, behavior, antioxidant, and hematological health of Catla catla fish
Researchers compared the toxicity of virgin versus bacterially degraded polyethylene microplastics on freshwater fish, finding that both types caused abnormal behaviors and disrupted blood parameters in a dose-dependent manner. However, biodegraded microplastics produced less severe effects on growth, survival, and antioxidant enzyme activity, suggesting that microbial degradation may reduce the ecological risk posed by microplastic pollution.
Potential effects of natural aging process on the characteristics and toxicity of facial masks: A zebrafish-based study
Researchers found that naturally aged facial mask microplastics caused greater toxicity in zebrafish than virgin fragments, inducing more severe oxidative stress, immune responses, and intestinal damage due to surface cracking and chemical adsorption during aging.
Oxidative and inflammatory responses to virgin and beached microplastics in marine fish liver
This study compared oxidative stress and inflammatory responses in marine fish exposed to virgin versus beached, weathered microplastics, finding that aging changes particle toxicity. Beached microplastics triggered stronger or qualitatively different inflammatory responses than their pristine counterparts, underscoring the importance of using environmentally realistic particles in toxicity studies.
Influence of ultraviolet-aging and adsorbed pollutants on toxicological effects of polyvinyl chloride microplastics to zebrafish
Researchers studied how UV aging changes polyvinyl chloride microplastics and their toxicity to zebrafish, both alone and when carrying adsorbed pollutants. They found that aged microplastics caused more severe gut damage and oxidative stress than pristine particles, due to increased free radicals on their surfaces. When carrying adsorbed chlorpyrifos or erythromycin, the microplastics served as pollutant carriers into fish, producing greater behavioral disruption and gut microbiome alterations.
Aged microplastics-induced growth inhibition via DNA damage, GH/IGF-1 and HPT axes disruption in zebrafish larvae
Researchers compared the developmental effects of pristine versus sunlight-aged polystyrene microplastics on zebrafish embryos at environmentally relevant concentrations. They found that aged microplastics were more toxic than pristine ones, causing greater growth inhibition, DNA damage, and disruption of hormonal pathways involved in growth and thyroid function. The study suggests that as microplastics weather in the environment, they may become increasingly harmful to developing aquatic organisms.
Oxidative and inflammatory responses to virgin and beached microplastics in marine fish liver
This study compared oxidative stress and inflammation responses in marine organisms exposed to virgin microplastics versus weathered, beach-collected microplastics. Beached particles, which have undergone environmental aging, triggered different and in some cases stronger toxic responses than their pristine counterparts.
Photoaged polystyrene microplastics result in neurotoxicity associated with neurotransmission and neurodevelopment in zebrafish larvae (Danio rerio)
This study found that sunlight-aged microplastics are more toxic to zebrafish brains than fresh ones, disrupting nerve signaling chemicals and motor neuron development at very low concentrations. The findings are important because most microplastics in the environment have been weathered by sunlight, meaning their real-world neurotoxic effects may be worse than laboratory tests using fresh plastics would suggest.
Genotoxicity and metabolic changes induced via ingestion of virgin and UV-aged polyethylene microplastics by the freshwater fish Perca fluviatilis
Freshwater perch fed UV-aged polyethylene microplastics showed greater DNA damage and more severe metabolic disruption in liver and muscle tissue than fish fed virgin (new) microplastics. The aged plastics disrupted energy metabolism, amino acid processing, and neurotransmitter levels. Since most microplastics in the environment have been weathered by sunlight, these findings suggest the real-world health risks to fish — and potentially to the humans who eat them — may be greater than lab studies using fresh plastics indicate.
Effects of pristine or contaminated polyethylene microplastics on zebrafish development
Researchers examined the effects of both pristine and pollutant-contaminated polyethylene microplastics on zebrafish development through chronic exposure. The study assessed how microplastics, both alone and as carriers of adsorbed organic pollutants, affect developing fish. The findings provide new insights into how contaminated microplastics may create additional routes for toxic compounds to enter aquatic food webs.
Environmental samples of microplastics induce significant toxic effects in fish larvae
Researchers collected microplastic samples from beaches on Easter Island, Guam, and Hawaii, then fed them to Japanese medaka fish at concentrations reflecting real ocean conditions. Larvae exposed to these environmental microplastics experienced increased mortality, developmental abnormalities, DNA damage, and behavioral changes. The study demonstrates that realistic concentrations of weathered, real-world microplastics can cause significant harm to fish during their most vulnerable early life stages.