Papers

61,005 results
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Article Tier 2

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.

2024 The Science of The Total Environment 6 citations
Article Tier 2

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.

2025 Aquatic Toxicology 2 citations
Article Tier 2

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.

2025 The Science of The Total Environment 3 citations
Article Tier 2

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.

2023 The Science of The Total Environment 69 citations
Article Tier 2

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.

2024 Environmental Research 29 citations
Article Tier 2

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.

2020 Journal of Hazardous Materials 162 citations
Article Tier 2

Aged polystyrene microplastics cause reproductive impairment via DNA-damage induced apoptosis in Caenorhabditis elegans

Researchers found that sunlight-aged polystyrene microplastics caused significantly more reproductive damage than fresh microplastics in a laboratory worm model. The aged particles triggered DNA damage and programmed cell death in reproductive tissue through a specific signaling pathway. This matters because microplastics in the real environment are typically weathered by sunlight, making them potentially more harmful to fertility than laboratory studies using new plastics would suggest.

2024 Chemosphere 12 citations
Article Tier 2

Toxicological assays and metabolomic profiling to evaluate the effects of virgin and aged micro- and nano- polystyrene plastics in SH-SY5Y human neuroblastoma cells

Human neuroblastoma cells exposed to polystyrene micro- and nanoplastics showed oxidative stress, DNA damage, and disrupted energy and amino acid metabolism, with aged and oxidized particles causing the worst effects. Since plastics in the environment are typically weathered rather than fresh, this suggests that real-world nanoplastic exposure may pose greater risks to brain cells than lab studies using pristine particles have indicated.

2025 The Science of The Total Environment 10 citations
Article Tier 2

Developmental toxicity of carboxylated microplastics in zebrafish mediated by mitochondrial dysfunction and inflammatory activation

Researchers exposed zebrafish larvae to carboxylated polystyrene microplastics at environmentally relevant concentrations (0.1–100 μg/L) and found dose-dependent developmental defects including reduced tail coiling and slowed heart rate, linked to mitochondrial dysfunction and inflammatory activation.

2025 Environmental Pollution
Article Tier 2

Reproductive toxicity of UV-photodegraded polystyrene microplastics induced by DNA damage-dependent cell apoptosis in Caenorhabditis elegans

Researchers investigated how UV-photodegraded polystyrene microplastics affect reproduction in the nematode C. elegans at environmentally relevant concentrations. The study found that aged microplastics caused more severe reproductive toxicity than pristine ones, operating through a DNA damage-induced cell death pathway, suggesting that weathered microplastics in the environment may pose greater biological risks.

2021 The Science of The Total Environment 77 citations
Article Tier 2

Amino modifications exacerbate the developmental abnormalities of polystyrene microplastics via mitochondria-mediated apoptosis pathway in zebrafish larvae

Researchers found that adding amino functional groups to polystyrene microplastics significantly increased their toxicity to developing zebrafish compared to unmodified particles. The amino-modified microplastics caused greater oxidative damage, mitochondrial dysfunction, and increased cell death in zebrafish larvae at environmentally relevant concentrations. The study suggests that surface modifications on microplastics, which can occur through environmental weathering, may make them substantially more harmful to aquatic life.

2024 The Science of The Total Environment 8 citations
Article Tier 2

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.

2022 Chemosphere 66 citations
Article Tier 2

Polystyrene nanoplastics cause developmental abnormalities, oxidative damage and immune toxicity in early zebrafish development

Zebrafish embryos exposed to polystyrene nanoplastics showed dose-dependent developmental problems including delayed hatching, reduced survival, smaller body size, and the nanoplastics accumulated in critical organs like the eyes, heart, liver, and brain. The particles triggered oxidative stress that damaged cells and activated inflammatory immune responses, demonstrating how nanoplastic contamination in water can cause widespread harm to developing organisms.

2025 Comparative Biochemistry and Physiology Part C Toxicology & Pharmacology 11 citations
Article Tier 2

Polystyrene microplastics effects on zebrafish embryological development: Comparison of two different sizes

Zebrafish embryos exposed to polystyrene microplastics of two different sizes (1 and 3 micrometers) showed increased heart rates, physical deformities, and cell death at higher concentrations. The microplastics accumulated inside the larvae and triggered oxidative stress, which is an imbalance that damages cells. These findings add to growing evidence that microplastics can interfere with early development in ways that may be relevant to understanding risks during human pregnancy and infancy.

2024 Environmental Toxicology and Pharmacology 37 citations
Article Tier 2

Influence of Polystyrene Microplastics on Mitochondrial Oxidative Damage in Renal and Muscular Tissues of the Freshwater Fish

Researchers exposed freshwater fish to environmentally relevant concentrations of polystyrene microplastics for up to 15 days and examined mitochondrial damage in kidney and muscle tissues. The exposure disrupted antioxidant defenses, increased oxidative stress, and altered metabolic enzyme activities in both tissue types. Histological examination revealed significant tissue damage including necrosis and degeneration, suggesting that microplastics can cause organ-level toxicity in fish through mitochondrial oxidative stress.

2025 Applied Biochemistry and Biotechnology 1 citations
Article Tier 2

Photolytic degradation elevated the toxicity of polylactic acid microplastics to developing zebrafish by triggering mitochondrial dysfunction and apoptosis

Researchers found that biodegradable polylactic acid (PLA) microplastics become more toxic to zebrafish after being broken down by sunlight over 90 days. UV exposure shrank the particles and generated nanoplastics, which were harder for the fish to expel from their bodies compared to the original material. The degraded PLA triggered oxidative stress and mitochondrial damage in developing zebrafish, suggesting that the environmental breakdown of biodegradable plastics may actually increase their harmful effects.

2021 Journal of Hazardous Materials 172 citations
Article Tier 2

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.

2024 The Science of The Total Environment 21 citations
Article Tier 2

Lipid metabolic dysregulation: A novel developmental toxicity pathway of aged nanoplastics via inhibition of lipophagy in zebrafish

Researchers showed that UV-aged polystyrene nanoplastics cause more severe developmental toxicity in zebrafish larvae than pristine particles by blocking lipophagy — the cellular process of breaking down stored fat via lysosomes — leading to abnormal lipid accumulation and disrupted early development.

2026 Journal of Hazardous Materials
Article Tier 2

Hepatotoxic effects of environmentally relevant concentrations of polystyrene microplastics on senescent Zebrafish (Danio rerio): Patterns of stress response and metabolomic alterations

Researchers exposed aging zebrafish to environmentally realistic levels of polystyrene microplastics and found significant liver damage, including disrupted stress responses and altered metabolism. This study is notable because it focused on older organisms, suggesting that elderly populations may be more vulnerable to the toxic effects of microplastic exposure.

2025 Aquatic Toxicology 11 citations
Article Tier 2

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.

2021 Environment International 133 citations
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

Behavioral impairments and disrupted mitochondrial energy metabolism induced by polypropylene microplastics in zebrafish larvae

Zebrafish embryos exposed to polypropylene microplastics at environmentally relevant levels showed behavioral changes and disrupted energy production in their cells. The microplastics impaired the mitochondria -- the energy-producing structures inside cells -- in both intestinal and liver tissue, while also causing oxidative stress. These findings suggest that even at concentrations found in the environment, common polypropylene microplastics can interfere with basic cellular energy processes.

2024 The Science of The Total Environment 22 citations
Article Tier 2

Photoaged polystyrene nanoplastics exposure results in reproductive toxicity due to oxidative damage in Caenorhabditis elegans

Researchers exposed the roundworm C. elegans to polystyrene nanoplastics that had been aged by sunlight, simulating real-world environmental conditions. The study found that these weathered nanoplastics caused more severe reproductive harm than pristine particles, primarily through increased oxidative stress, suggesting that aging makes plastic particles more toxic to living organisms.

2024 Environmental Pollution 9 citations
Article Tier 2

Polystyrene Nanoplastic Exposure Induces Developmental Toxicity by Activating the Oxidative Stress Response and Base Excision Repair Pathway in Zebrafish (Danio rerio)

Researchers exposed zebrafish embryos to polystyrene nanoplastics at various concentrations and found significant developmental abnormalities including reduced hatching rates and increased malformations. The nanoplastics activated oxidative stress responses and DNA repair pathways, indicating cellular damage during critical early development stages. The study provides mechanistic evidence for how nanoplastic exposure can disrupt normal embryonic development in aquatic organisms.

2022 ACS Omega 90 citations