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61,005 resultsShowing papers similar to Effect of aging on the toxicity of polyethylene microplastics on the estuarine bivalve Scrobicularia plana
ClearToxicity of aged and unaged conventional or biodegradable mulching films microplastics to the estuarine bivalve Scrobicularia plana
This study tested the toxicity of microplastics derived from aged and unaged conventional and biodegradable mulching films on the estuarine bivalve Scrobicularia plana, finding that both types caused harm to this ecologically important species. Aged microplastics showed different toxicity profiles compared to fresh particles.
Toxicity of aged and unaged conventional or biodegradable mulching films microplastics to the estuarine bivalve Scrobicularia plana
This study assessed whether aging changes the toxicity of microplastics from conventional and biodegradable mulching films across soil and aquatic environments, testing both fresh and UV-aged particles on a range of organisms. Aging altered toxicity profiles of both conventional and biodegradable microplastics, with effects varying by polymer type and test species.
Toxicity of aged and unaged conventional or biodegradable mulching films microplastics to the estuarine bivalve Scrobicularia plana
Researchers tested the toxicity of aged and unaged microplastics from both conventional and biodegradable mulch films on soil organisms under realistic agricultural exposure conditions. Aged mulch film microplastics were more toxic than virgin particles, and biodegradable alternatives were not inherently less harmful to soil biota.
Naturally weathered polypropylene microplastic from environment and its toxic behaviour in Artemia salina
Researchers compared the toxicological effects of naturally weathered versus newly prepared polypropylene microplastics on the brine shrimp Artemia salina. They found that weathered microplastics caused significantly higher oxidative stress, reactive oxygen species generation, and enzyme activity changes compared to new particles. The study underscores that environmental aging makes microplastics more harmful to aquatic organisms, highlighting the importance of studying real-world weathered particles rather than only pristine laboratory samples.
Effect of aging of microplastics on gene expression levels of the marine mussel Mytilus edulis: Comparison in vitro/in vivo exposures
Researchers compared the effects of aged versus non-aged polyethylene microplastics on the marine mussel Mytilus edulis using both in vitro and in vivo exposures at environmentally relevant concentrations. The study found that gene expression changes in xenobiotic defense, immune function, and cell cycle control differed depending on whether the plastic was aged and the type of exposure method used. These findings highlight that the environmental weathering state of microplastics is an important factor in determining their biological effects on marine organisms.
Continuum from microplastics to nanoplastics: effects of size and source on the estuarine bivalve Scrobicularia plana
Researchers exposed the estuarine bivalve Scrobicularia plana to environmentally realistic concentrations of both microplastics and nanoplastics to compare their toxic effects. The study found that particle size influenced toxicity profiles differently in gill and digestive gland tissues, suggesting that nanoplastics may pose distinct ecotoxicological risks compared to larger microplastic particles in estuarine organisms.
Impact of Degradation of Polyethylene Particles on Their Cytotoxicity
Researchers found that degradation of polyethylene particles altered their cytotoxicity, with weathered and fragmented PE showing different toxic effects on cells compared to pristine particles, suggesting environmental aging changes microplastic health risks.
Study on the toxic effect of seawater-aged microplastics on Philippine curtain clams
Researchers studied how seawater aging changes the properties of five common microplastic types and tested their toxic effects on Philippine curtain clams. Aging significantly increased the surface area of all microplastics and caused visible surface cracking in polyethylene and PVC particles. Higher microplastic concentrations accelerated clam mortality, with prolonged exposure suggesting cumulative toxic effects.
New Insights into the Mechanisms of Toxicity of Aging Microplastics
This study showed that UV-aged polypropylene microplastics are significantly more toxic than fresh ones, absorbing more chemicals and generating more harmful reactive oxygen species in seawater. The aged particles caused greater damage to cell membranes in mussels compared to pristine plastics. Since most microplastics in the ocean have been weathered by sunlight, real-world exposure risks may be higher than laboratory studies using new plastics suggest.
Nanoplastics in aquatic environments: The hidden impact of aging on fate and toxicity
This review highlights that most toxicity studies on nanoplastics use brand-new pristine particles, but real-world nanoplastics are aged by sunlight and chemical exposure, which fundamentally changes their surface properties and toxicity. Aged nanoplastics may be more harmful than pristine ones because they interact differently with biological systems, meaning current safety assessments likely underestimate the true risks.
Aging process potentially aggravates microplastic toxicity in aquatic organisms: Evidence from a comprehensive synthesis
This meta-analysis found that environmental aging of microplastics significantly worsens their toxicity to aquatic organisms overall, particularly harming algae, zooplankton, and fish. However, the effect varied by organism type — aged microplastics were less toxic to aquatic plants. Aging methods, particle characteristics, and environmental conditions all modulated the severity of toxicity.
Microplastic aging processes: Environmental relevance and analytical implications
Researchers reviewed how microplastics change physically and chemically over time in the environment — a process called 'aging' — and found that standard lab methods for detecting microplastics were mostly developed using fresh, unaged plastics, making it harder to accurately measure real-world contamination. Improved analytical methods that account for aged microplastics are needed for reliable environmental assessment.
Elucidating the effects of naturally weathered aged-polypropylene microplastics and newly procured polypropylene microplastics on raw 264.7 macrophages
Researchers compared the effects of naturally weathered polypropylene microplastics and newly manufactured ones on immune cells called macrophages. They found that both types caused cell toxicity and disrupted normal cellular function, but the weathered particles had distinct effects due to their altered surface chemistry. The study suggests that aging and environmental weathering change how microplastics interact with biological systems.
Aging Enhancesthe Ecotoxicological Effects of BiobasedMicroplastic Poly(LacticAcid) and Its Adsorbed Tris(1-chloro-2-propyl)phosphate on Mussels
This study aged PLA bioplastic microplastics under simulated marine conditions and combined them with the plastic additive TCPP before exposing mussels, finding that aged PLA microplastics caused greater toxicity than virgin particles and that TCPP co-exposure compounded oxidative and inflammatory effects.
Impact of virgin and weathered microplastics on zebrafish: Bioaccumulation, developmental toxicity and molecular pathway disruptions
Researchers compared the effects of brand-new versus environmentally weathered microplastics on zebrafish larvae and found that weathered particles were far more toxic, causing 80% mortality compared to 20% for new plastics. The weathered microplastics triggered more severe disruptions to oxidative stress pathways, cell death signaling, and DNA repair mechanisms. The study emphasizes that laboratory tests using only pristine microplastics may significantly underestimate the real-world dangers of plastic pollution.
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.
Effects of microplastics on bivalves: Are experimental settings reflecting conditions in the field?
A critical comparison of experimental microplastic studies on bivalves found that most laboratory studies used particle concentrations far exceeding environmental levels and polymer types that differ from field observations, concluding that many reported toxic effects may not be ecologically relevant and calling for environmentally realistic experimental designs.
Seawater Accelerated the Aging of Polystyrene and Enhanced Its Toxic Effects on Caenorhabditis elegans
Researchers simulated the aging of polystyrene microplastics in seawater and found that the marine environment accelerated surface erosion, releasing smaller aged particles. When tested on the nematode C. elegans, the aged polystyrene caused greater reductions in movement, vitality, and reproduction compared to virgin particles, driven by increased oxidative stress. The findings suggest that microplastics become more toxic as they weather in ocean conditions.
Ecotoxicity of polyethylene nanoplastics from the North Atlantic oceanic gyre on freshwater and marine organisms (microalgae and filter-feeding bivalves)
Polyethylene nanoplastics collected from the North Atlantic gyre were compared with reference PE nanoplastics for toxicity to freshwater and marine microalgae and freshwater bivalves, finding that real-world ocean-collected nanoplastics were not consistently more toxic than laboratory-grade particles. The study suggests that environmental weathering and associated contaminant sorption do not necessarily amplify nanoplastic toxicity to primary producers and filter feeders.
Difference in sensitivity of Daphnia magna to pristine and aged microplastic fibers
Researchers compared the sensitivity of Daphnia magna to pristine versus aged microplastic fibers, which make up a large proportion of environmental plastic pollution. Aged fibers showed different toxicity profiles than pristine fibers, highlighting the need to use environmentally weathered particles in ecotoxicology tests.
Microplastic-induced alterations in the intestinal environment: Aging as a modulating factor
Researchers evaluated the intestinal toxicity of environmentally aged microplastics compared to commercial microspheres through subchronic oral exposure in an animal model. They found that aging can modify microplastic properties and potentially alter their toxicity in the gut, affecting microbiota composition and inducing oxidative stress and inflammation. The study highlights the importance of using realistically aged particles rather than pristine microspheres in toxicity research.
Evaluation of the Toxicity of Microplastics in the Supralittoral of the Barents Sea Using Test Objects of Different Trophic Levels
Researchers evaluated the toxicity of microplastics collected from the supralittoral zone of the Barents Sea to model organisms, finding that environmental microplastics — which carry sorbed contaminants and biofilms — were more toxic than pristine laboratory microplastics of equivalent polymer type. The results highlight the importance of using environmentally weathered particles rather than pristine plastics in ecotoxicology studies.
Ageing Affects the Mechanical Interactionbetween Microplastics and Lipid Bilayers
Researchers found that as polyethylene microplastics age and become more hydrophilic, they adhere more strongly to lipid bilayers and cause greater membrane stretching, suggesting that weathered microplastics in the environment may pose higher biological risks than fresh particles.
Approaches for the preparation and evaluation of hydrophilic polyethylene and polyethylene terephthalate microplastic particles suited for toxicological effect studies
Researchers developed methods to create large quantities of artificially aged, hydrophilic microplastic particles from PET and polyethylene, eliminating the need for surfactants in toxicity experiments. Using alkaline and acidic treatments, they produced particles smaller than 5 micrometers with significantly increased water compatibility. These standardized, aged particles better represent real-world microplastics and could improve the consistency and relevance of laboratory toxicity studies.