Papers

20 results
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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

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

Impacts of Environmental Concentrations of Nanoplastics on Zebrafish Neurobehavior and Reproductive Toxicity

Researchers exposed zebrafish to environmentally realistic levels of polystyrene nanoplastics and found they caused both brain and reproductive damage. The nanoplastics disrupted neurotransmitter signaling and impaired the hormonal pathway connecting the brain to reproductive organs, with different effects in males and females. These findings suggest that even low-level nanoplastic exposure could affect both brain function and fertility in aquatic life that humans may consume.

2024 Toxics 16 citations
Article Tier 2

Polystyrene Nanoplastics Disrupt Hepatic Vitellogenin Metabolism and Impair the Reproduction Process in Female Zebrafish

Researchers exposed female zebrafish to polystyrene nanoplastics and found that the particles disrupted the production of vitellogenin, a key protein involved in egg development. Higher concentrations led to reduced reproductive output and changes in liver function. The study suggests that nanoplastic pollution in waterways could interfere with fish reproduction by disrupting the hormonal and metabolic pathways essential for egg formation.

2024 Annals of Animal Science 9 citations
Article Tier 2

From gonads to generations: Mechanistic insights into reproductive disruption by polystyrene nanoplastics and co-contaminants in fish

This review synthesizes current research on how polystyrene nanoplastics impair reproductive health in fish, including disruption of gonad structure, hormone levels, and gene regulation along the reproductive axis. Researchers found that nanoplastics can cause oxidative stress and inflammation in reproductive tissues and may even affect offspring development. The findings raise concerns about the long-term effects of nanoplastic pollution on fish populations and aquatic ecosystem health.

2025 Environmental Chemistry and Ecotoxicology 3 citations
Article Tier 2

Evaluating the potential of daily intake of polystyrene microplastics via drinking water in inducing PCOS and its ovarian fibrosis progression using female zebrafish

Daily exposure to polystyrene microplastics through drinking water caused symptoms of polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) in female zebrafish, including hormone imbalances, cystic ovaries, and insulin resistance. Over time, the affected ovaries also developed signs of fibrosis, or scarring. This study suggests that microplastics in drinking water could be a contributing factor to reproductive disorders and long-term ovarian damage.

2024 NanoImpact 21 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

Oral exposure to polystyrene nanoplastics altered the hypothalamic–pituitary–testicular axis role in hormonal regulation, inducing reproductive toxicity in albino rats

This study found that oral exposure to polystyrene nanoplastics disrupted the hormone signaling pathway between the brain and testes in male rats, leading to reproductive damage. The nanoplastics interfered with the hormones that regulate sperm production and testicular function. These findings add to growing evidence that nanoplastic exposure through food and water could be a contributing factor to declining male fertility.

2024 Birth Defects Research 16 citations
Article Tier 2

Effects of polystyrene nanoplastics on the female reproductive system in mice: Implications for ovarian function and follicular development

Researchers exposed female mice to polystyrene nanoplastics orally for 29 days and examined the effects on their reproductive systems. They found that nanoplastic exposure disrupted estrous cycles, impaired follicle development, and altered hormone levels in a dose-dependent manner. The study suggests that nanoplastics, due to their extremely small size, may cross biological barriers and accumulate in reproductive tissues, raising concerns about potential effects on fertility.

2025 Reproductive Toxicology 3 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

Oral exposure to polystyrene nanoplastics reduced male fertility and even caused male infertility by inducing testicular and sperm toxicities in mice

Researchers fed male mice polystyrene nanoplastics of different sizes (25, 50, and 100 nm) for 56 days and found that all sizes reduced fertility and some caused complete infertility. The nanoplastics accumulated in the testes, causing oxidative stress, cell death, and inflammation that damaged sperm and reproductive tissue. This study raises concerns that human exposure to nanoplastics through food and water could contribute to declining male fertility.

2023 Journal of Hazardous Materials 130 citations
Article Tier 2

New insights into the reproductive hazards posed by polystyrene nanoplastics

Researchers used fruit flies as a model to study how polystyrene nanoplastics affect reproductive health. They found that nanoplastics accumulated in ovaries, testes, and even individual eggs and sperm cells, causing physical damage to reproductive organs and reducing fertility. The study suggests that nanoplastic contamination can directly interfere with reproduction by physically accumulating within reproductive tissues and gametes.

2025 Journal of Hazardous Materials 4 citations
Article Tier 2

Nanoplastic contamination: Impact on zebrafish liver metabolism and implications for aquatic environmental health

Zebrafish exposed to polystyrene nanoparticles for 28 days showed significant disruptions in liver metabolism, including altered fat processing, signs of inflammation, oxidative stress, and DNA damage. Notably, at lower doses the liver's detox enzymes appeared to break down the nanoplastics themselves, while higher doses overwhelmed these defenses and caused more severe injury.

2024 Environment International 33 citations
Article Tier 2

Toxicological impacts of nanopolystyrene on zebrafish oocyte with insight into the mechanism of action: An expression-based analysis

Researchers investigated the mechanism by which nanopolystyrene causes toxicity in zebrafish oocytes, finding it triggers oxidative stress, immune disruption, and mitochondrial dysfunction through changes in key gene expression pathways.

2022 The Science of The Total Environment 30 citations
Article Tier 2

The emerging risk of exposure to nano(micro)plastics on endocrine disturbance and reproductive toxicity: From a hypothetical scenario to a global public health challenge

Researchers administered polystyrene nanoplastics orally to male rats for five weeks and found significant reductions in testosterone, LH, and FSH levels, sperm DNA damage, altered testicular gene expression, and dose-dependent histological lesions, indicating that nanoplastic exposure disrupts the hormonal axis governing male reproductive function.

2020 Environmental Pollution 297 citations
Article Tier 2

From mothers to offspring: Polystyrene nanoplastics create a hidden toxic legacy via mitochondrial dysfunction

Researchers exposed female zebrafish to polystyrene nanoplastics before mating with unexposed males and found that maternal exposure at 100 μg/L reduced offspring hatching success and caused developmental defects in the F1 generation raised in clean water, demonstrating transgenerational toxicity via mitochondrial dysfunction.

2025 Environmental Chemistry and Ecotoxicology
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

Polystyrene nanoplastics aggravate reproductive system damage in obese male mice by perturbation of the testis redox homeostasis

Researchers found that polystyrene nanoplastics worsened reproductive damage in male mice already fed a high-fat diet, reducing sperm quality and testosterone production beyond what obesity alone caused. The nanoplastics disrupted the protective blood-testis barrier and increased oxidative stress in reproductive tissues. The study suggests that nanoplastic exposure combined with obesity may create compounding risks to male fertility.

2023 Environmental Toxicology 20 citations
Article Tier 2

Polystyrene Microplastics Affect the Reproductive Performance of Male Mice and Lipid Homeostasis in Their Offspring

Researchers found that long-term exposure to environmentally relevant doses of polystyrene microplastics over 21 weeks significantly impaired reproductive function in male mice, including decreased testicle weight and sperm quality. The study also revealed transgenerational effects, with offspring showing disrupted lipid homeostasis.

2022 Environmental Science & Technology Letters 53 citations
Article Tier 2

Effects of orally administered polystyrene nanoplastics on reproduction and development in rodents

This study examined the reproductive and developmental effects of orally administered polystyrene nanoplastics in an animal model, finding that NP ingestion impaired fertility metrics and offspring development, contributing to growing evidence of nanoplastic reproductive toxicity.

2025 LA Referencia (Red Federada de Repositorios Institucionales de Publicaciones Científicas)