Papers

20 results
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Article Tier 2

Neurotoxicity of polystyrene nanoplastics with different particle sizes at environment-related concentrations on early zebrafish embryos

Researchers exposed zebrafish embryos to polystyrene nanoplastics of different sizes at concentrations found in the environment and observed significant brain damage. The nanoplastics caused loss of neurons, shortened nerve fibers, and disrupted brain signaling systems that control behavior. Smaller nanoplastics caused the most severe damage because they could pass through protective barriers more easily, suggesting that the tiniest plastic particles pose the greatest risk to brain development.

2023 The Science of The Total Environment 99 citations
Article Tier 2

Nanoplastics Cause Neurobehavioral Impairments, Reproductive and Oxidative Damages, and Biomarker Responses in Zebrafish: Throwing up Alarms of Wide Spread Health Risk of Exposure

Researchers exposed adult zebrafish to polystyrene nanoplastics and found that the particles accumulated in the brain, liver, intestine, and gonads, causing significant behavioral and physiological changes. The fish showed disrupted energy metabolism, oxidative stress, and altered locomotion, aggression, and predator avoidance behaviors. The findings raise concerns about the widespread health risks of nanoplastic exposure, as these particles are small enough to cross biological membranes.

2020 International Journal of Molecular Sciences 410 citations
Article Tier 2

Adverse adult-onset and multigenerational effects in zebrafish (Danio rerio) developmentally exposed to polystyrene nanoplastics

Researchers raised zebrafish exposed to nanoplastics during early development through to adulthood and found lasting reproductive impairment, heritable hyperactivity in offspring, and molecular changes in male reproductive and brain tissue linked to neurodegenerative disease pathways and endocrine disruption, demonstrating that brief developmental nanoplastic exposure can cause multigenerational harm.

2025 Environmental Pollution
Article Tier 2

Polystyrene microplastics and nanoplastics induce neurotoxicity in zebrafish via oxidative stress and neurotransmitter disruption

Researchers exposed zebrafish embryos to polystyrene micro- and nanoplastics and found that both particle sizes caused neurodevelopmental toxicity, with nanoplastics being more potent. The plastic particles induced oxidative stress in the brain and disrupted neurotransmitter levels critical for normal neural development. The study suggests that microplastic and nanoplastic contamination in aquatic environments may pose significant risks to the neurological development of fish.

2025 Comparative Biochemistry and Physiology Part C Toxicology & Pharmacology 1 citations
Article Tier 2

Polystyrene Nanoplastics Toxicity to Zebrafish: Dysregulation of the Brain–Intestine–Microbiota Axis

This study found that polystyrene nanoplastics disrupted the brain-gut connection in zebrafish at environmentally realistic concentrations, affecting growth, gut health, and brain chemistry. The nanoplastics altered neurotransmitter levels, particularly reducing a dopamine-related compound, and changed the balance of gut bacteria in ways that correlated with brain changes. These findings suggest a pathway by which nanoplastics in food and water could affect both digestive and brain health through the gut-brain axis.

2022 ACS Nano 274 citations
Article Tier 2

Short-term polystyrene nanoplastic exposure alters zebrafish male and female germline and reproductive outcomes, unveiling pollutant-impacted molecular pathways

A short 96-hour exposure to polystyrene nanoplastics harmed both male and female reproductive cells in zebrafish. In males, nanoplastics crossed the testicular barrier, entered reproductive cells directly, and caused abnormal sperm with reduced movement. In females, the exposure disrupted egg development, suggesting that even brief nanoplastic contact could impair fertility in aquatic species and raising questions about similar risks for human reproductive health.

2024 Journal of Hazardous Materials 13 citations
Article Tier 2

From particle size to brain function: a zebrafish-based review of micro/nanoplastic-induced neurobehavioral toxicity and mechanistic pathways

This review uses zebrafish as a model to examine how micro- and nanoplastics cause neurobehavioral toxicity, linking particle size to brain function disruption. Researchers summarize evidence that these plastic particles impair fish behavior and cause molecular-level damage in the nervous system. The findings highlight the growing concern that micro- and nanoplastics are emerging neurotoxicants in aquatic environments.

2025 Environmental Science Nano 3 citations
Article Tier 2

Polystyrene Nanoplastic Exposure Adversely Affects Survivability of Zebrafish Larvae

Researchers found that polystyrene nanoplastic exposure significantly reduces survival rates of zebrafish larvae in a dose-dependent manner, documenting behavioral abnormalities and developmental defects that highlight the toxicity of nanoscale plastic particles to early vertebrate life.

2024 Journal of Student Research
Article Tier 2

Uptake Routes and Biodistribution of Polystyrene Nanoplastics on Zebrafish Larvae and Toxic Effects on Development

Researchers exposed zebrafish embryos and larvae to amino-modified polystyrene nanoplastics to study uptake routes and biodistribution. The study found that nanoplastics accumulated in target organs and caused toxic developmental effects, providing evidence that these tiny plastic fragments can penetrate biological barriers and interfere with normal development in aquatic organisms.

2023 Fishes 17 citations
Article Tier 2

Polystyrene nanoplastics induced size-dependent developmental and neurobehavioral toxicities in embryonic and juvenile zebrafish

Researchers exposed zebrafish embryos and juveniles to polystyrene nanoplastics of three different sizes and found that all sizes crossed into the brain, eyes, and other organs. Smaller particles tended to cause different types of damage than larger ones, including changes in brain development and behavior. This size-dependent toxicity is relevant to human health because we are exposed to a wide range of nanoplastic sizes through food and water.

2024 Aquatic Toxicology 34 citations
Article Tier 2

Polystyrene nanoplastics act as endocrine disruptors altering neurotransmitter levels and locomotor activity via estrogen receptor during early zebrafish development

Researchers showed that polystyrene nanoplastics act as endocrine disruptors in developing zebrafish by activating estrogen receptor pathways, causing reduced dopamine neuron area, increased brain cell death, and impaired movement — effects that were reversed when the estrogen receptor was blocked.

2025 Aquatic Toxicology 13 citations
Article Tier 2

Plastic nanoparticles cause mild inflammation, disrupt metabolic pathways, change the gut microbiota and affect reproduction in zebrafish: A full generation multi-omics study.

Exposure of zebrafish to polystyrene nanoparticles throughout their entire first generation caused mild inflammation, disrupted metabolic pathways, altered gut microbiota, and impaired reproduction — even at environmentally relevant concentrations. This comprehensive multigenerational study demonstrates that nanoplastic exposure can have lasting biological effects across multiple body systems in fish.

2022 Journal of hazardous materials
Article Tier 2

Exposure to Polystyrene Nanoplastics Led to Learning and Memory Deficits in Zebrafish by Inducing Oxidative Damage and Aggravating Brain Aging

Zebrafish exposed to polystyrene nanoplastics developed significant learning and memory problems, taking longer to navigate mazes and showing signs of accelerated brain aging. The nanoplastics caused oxidative damage, energy shortages, and disrupted the cell cycle in brain tissue. This study adds to growing evidence that nanoplastics small enough to cross the blood-brain barrier could impair cognitive function, raising concerns about long-term brain health effects from environmental nanoplastic exposure.

2023 Advanced Healthcare Materials 46 citations
Article Tier 2

Female zebrafish (Danio rerio) exposure to polystyrene nanoplastics induces reproductive toxicity in mother and their offspring

Researchers exposed female zebrafish to polystyrene nanoplastics for six weeks and found the particles disrupted sex hormone levels and oocyte development, reducing egg production in the exposed generation and carrying endocrine disruption effects into unexposed offspring through the hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal axis.

2024 Aquatic Toxicology 21 citations
Article Tier 2

Behavioral Studies of Zebrafish Reveal a New Perspective on the Reproductive Toxicity of Micro- and Nanoplastics

This review summarizes existing research on how micro- and nanoplastics affect the behavior and reproductive health of zebrafish, a common lab model for studying human biology. The findings suggest that tiny plastic particles can disrupt reproductive behavior and act as hormone-like chemicals, and that behavioral changes in fish may serve as early warning signs of reproductive harm that could be relevant to understanding human health risks.

2024 Toxics 34 citations
Article Tier 2

Evaluation of phenotypic and behavioral toxicity of micro- and nano-plastic polystyrene particles in larval zebrafish (Danio rerio)

Researchers exposed zebrafish embryos to polystyrene particles ranging from 50 nanometers to 10 micrometers and found that nearly all sizes caused physical abnormalities and changes in swimming behavior. Smaller particles were taken up more readily and distributed to organs including the brain and gut. These findings are relevant to human health because zebrafish share many biological pathways with humans, and the results suggest that both micro- and nano-sized plastics can cause developmental harm.

2025 Toxicological Sciences 5 citations
Article Tier 2

Neurobehavioral and neurochemical effects of nano-sized polypropylene accumulation in zebrafish (Danio rerio)

Researchers exposed zebrafish to polypropylene nanoparticles and confirmed the particles accumulated in brain tissue using advanced imaging and chemical analysis. The accumulation led to measurable neurotoxic effects, including reduced movement activity and disrupted neurotransmitter levels. The study suggests that nanoscale polypropylene, one of the most commonly produced plastics, may pose risks to nervous system function in aquatic organisms.

2025 The Science of The Total Environment 2 citations
Article Tier 2

Polystyrene nanoplastics cause reproductive toxicity in zebrafish: PPAR mediated lipid metabolism disorder

Zebrafish exposed to polystyrene nanoplastics at environmentally realistic levels experienced delayed sperm development, abnormal egg growth, and impaired reproduction, with larger 500-nanometer particles causing the worst effects. The reproductive damage was linked to disrupted fat metabolism in the ovaries through a specific signaling pathway, and the effects resembled polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) -- raising concerns about potential impacts on human fertility.

2024 The Science of The Total Environment 25 citations
Article Tier 2

Effects of Microplastics and Nanoplastics on Neurodevelopment and Neurodegeneration in Zebrafish

This review covers how micro- and nanoplastic (MNP) exposure affects neurodevelopment and neurodegeneration in zebrafish, summarising evidence on impaired neurodevelopment, behavioural changes, and markers of neurodegeneration from studies using various polymer types and exposure routes. It frames zebrafish as a key model for understanding MNP neurotoxicity.

2025
Article Tier 2

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.

2025 Environmental Science & Technology 14 citations