Papers

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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

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

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

Researchers exposed larval zebrafish (Danio rerio) to six sizes (0.05–10.2 µm) and multiple concentrations of polystyrene micro/nanoplastics and assessed toxicity using embryo and behavioral assays. Smaller particles and higher concentrations caused greater phenotypic and behavioral toxicity, with particle uptake and organ distribution confirmed, establishing size as a key determinant of polystyrene MP toxicity in a vertebrate developmental model.

2025 NRC Digital Repository
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 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

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

Effects of polystyrene nanoplastic size on zebrafish embryo development

Researchers exposed zebrafish embryos to polystyrene nanoplastics of four sizes and found only the smallest (30 nm) caused mortality and altered oxidative stress and apoptosis gene expression, while larger particles (100–450 nm) were ingested and accumulated in the digestive system without causing developmental malformations.

2024 Toxicology in Vitro 8 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

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 induce developmental impairments and vasotoxicity in zebrafish (Danio rerio)

Zebrafish exposed to polystyrene nanoplastics at environmentally realistic concentrations showed developmental problems including heart defects, brain abnormalities, blood vessel damage, and reduced swimming ability. The nanoplastics accumulated on the fish's body and triggered cell damage and oxidative stress even at very low doses. Since zebrafish are commonly used to model human developmental processes, these findings raise concerns about what nanoplastic exposure could mean for early human development.

2023 Journal of Hazardous Materials 51 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 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
Article Tier 2

Bioaccumulation of various nanoplastic particles in larval zebrafish (Danio rerio)

Researchers exposed larval zebrafish (Danio rerio) to 40-60 nm and 100 nm polystyrene nanoplastic particles using standard fish embryo toxicity and general behavioral toxicity assays from 6-120 hours post-fertilization, combining toxicity endpoints with fluorescence microscopy to confirm particle uptake and excretion. The study demonstrated nanoplastic accumulation within zebrafish larvae at tested concentrations, providing mechanistic insights into aquatic organism exposure dynamics for nanoplastics.

2022 Zenodo (CERN European Organization for Nuclear Research)
Article Tier 2

Polystyrene microplastics inhibit the neurodevelopmental toxicity of mercury in zebrafish (Danio rerio) larvae with size-dependent effects

Researchers found that polystyrene microplastics paradoxically reduced mercury neurotoxicity in zebrafish larvae, with nanoscale particles providing greater protection than microscale ones by decreasing mercury bioavailability and oxidative damage.

2022 Environmental Pollution 22 citations
Article Tier 2

Polystyrene nanoplastics enhance the toxicological effects of DDE in zebrafish (Danio rerio) larvae

Researchers found that polystyrene nanoplastics enhanced the toxicity of the pesticide metabolite DDE in zebrafish larvae, with co-exposure causing greater developmental abnormalities and oxidative stress than either pollutant alone.

2022 The Science of The Total Environment 38 citations
Article Tier 2

Nanoplastics in the Environment and the Effects on the Zebrafish

This study reviewed the effects of nanoplastic exposure on zebrafish, covering how these tiny particles affect development, organ function, behavior, and reproductive success. Zebrafish are a widely used model organism for toxicology, and findings in this species provide insight into potential effects in other vertebrates including humans.

2019 American Journal of Engineering and Applied Sciences 2 citations
Article Tier 2

Effects of nanoplastics on zebrafish embryo-larval stages: A case study with polystyrene (PS) and polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA) particles

Researchers assessed the effects of polystyrene and polymethylmethacrylate nanoparticles on zebrafish embryos and larvae over 96 hours. The study found that these nanoplastics affected biochemical endpoints related to neurotransmission, antioxidant status, oxidative damage, and energy metabolism, with effects varying by plastic type. Evidence suggests that smaller plastic particles may have increased bioavailability and reactivity compared to larger fragments.

2022 Environmental Research 53 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastics induced developmental toxicity with microcirculation dysfunction in zebrafish embryos

Researchers exposed zebrafish embryos to polystyrene microplastics (1 micrometer) and nanoplastics (0.4 micrometer) to assess developmental toxicity. They found that nanoplastics caused significantly higher mortality and more severe microcirculation dysfunction than microplastics, despite being less visible in solution. The study indicates that smaller plastic particles may pose greater developmental risks to aquatic organisms during early life stages.

2021 Chemosphere 57 citations
Article Tier 2

Size matters: Zebrafish (Danio rerio) as a model to study toxicity of nanoplastics from cells to the whole organism

Researchers used zebrafish as a model organism to study the toxic effects of polystyrene nanoplastics at both cellular and whole-organism levels. They found that smaller nanoplastic particles were taken up more readily by cells and caused greater oxidative stress and developmental abnormalities than larger particles. The study confirms that particle size is a critical determinant of nanoplastic toxicity, with the smallest particles posing the greatest biological risks.

2020 Environmental Pollution 152 citations
Article Tier 2

Polystyrene nanoplastics accumulate in ZFL cell lysosomes and in zebrafish larvae after acute exposure, inducing a synergistic immune response in vitro without affecting larval survival in vivo

Polystyrene nanoplastics were shown to be internalized in zebrafish liver cells and accumulate in lysosomes, and while they triggered an immune response in cell cultures, they did not affect larval zebrafish survival in short-term exposures. This suggests that cellular toxicity may not always translate directly to whole-organism mortality at acute exposure levels.

2020 Environmental Science Nano 54 citations