Papers

61,005 results
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Article Tier 2

Investigating the Release and Toxicity of Microplastics/Nanoplastics From Single‐Use Plastic Bags to Zebrafish

Researchers studied how single-use polyethylene bags break down under environmental conditions and tested the resulting microplastic and nanoplastic particles on zebrafish embryos. The fragments released from degraded bags showed higher toxicity than pure polyethylene particles, causing dose-dependent developmental abnormalities including pericardial edema, spinal curvature, and mortality rates up to 93% at the highest concentrations, likely due to chemical additives and degradation products.

2026 Journal of Applied Toxicology
Article Tier 2

Toxic effects of environmental-relevant exposure to polyethylene terephthalate (PET) micro and nanoparticles in zebrafish early development

Researchers exposed zebrafish embryos to PET plastic micro and nanoparticles at levels found in the environment and observed toxic effects including reduced tail movement, faster heart rates, and changes in eye development. The smaller nanoplastic particles were especially concerning because they are more easily absorbed by developing organisms. These findings suggest that PET plastic pollution in water could harm fish development, raising questions about effects on other species exposed through contaminated water.

2024 NanoImpact 10 citations
Article Tier 2

Exploring developmental toxicity of microplastics and nanoplastics (MNPS): Insights from investigations using zebrafish embryos

This review summarizes research on how micro- and nanoplastics harm embryo development using zebrafish as a model organism that shares genetic similarities with humans. Studies show these tiny plastic particles cause damage to the brain, heart, gut, and immune system of developing embryos, largely through oxidative stress and cell death pathways.

2024 The Science of The Total Environment 34 citations
Article Tier 2

Effects on Zebrafish of Chemical Contaminants and Additives Present in Microplastics

Researchers fed zebrafish for 60 days on diets containing 10% environmental microplastics collected from beaches in Lanzarote and Tenerife, alongside clean pellet and control groups, then analyzed chemical contaminants in tissues by liquid chromatography coupled to high-resolution mass spectrometry. Results confirmed bioaccumulation of plastic additives and chemical contaminants in zebrafish tissues over time, with plastic synthesizers reaching the highest tissue concentrations followed by plasticizers.

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

The combined toxicity assessment of polystyrene microplastics and di(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate on cardiac development in zebrafish embryos

Researchers studied the combined toxic effects of polystyrene microplastics and the plasticizer DEHP on heart development in zebrafish embryos. They found that co-exposure significantly reduced heart rate and survival, increased oxidative stress and cell death, and enlarged the heart structure. The study identifies specific metabolic and signaling pathways involved in cardiac toxicity, suggesting that the combination of microplastics and their chemical additives may pose greater risks to heart development than either alone.

2025 Ecotoxicology and Environmental Safety 3 citations
Article Tier 2

Impacts of real microplastic leachates on the development and behavior of developing zebrafish (Danio rerio)

This study exposed developing zebrafish to leachates from real-world microplastic samples and found that the chemical additives released—rather than the particles themselves—impaired early neurodevelopment and altered larval swimming behavior.

2025 Environmental Science Processes & Impacts
Article Tier 2

Combined Toxicities of Di-Butyl Phthalate and Polyethylene Terephthalate to Zebrafish Embryos

Researchers exposed zebrafish embryos to polyethylene terephthalate microplastics and the plasticizer di-butyl phthalate, both alone and in combination. While the microplastics alone mainly delayed hatching, the plasticizer caused severe developmental abnormalities and death. The study found that the microplastics actually reduced the toxicity of the plasticizer by adsorbing it, though they also slowed its breakdown, creating a more persistent exposure risk.

2023 Toxics 17 citations
Article Tier 2

Effects of pristine or contaminated polyethylene microplastics on zebrafish development

Researchers examined the effects of both pristine and pollutant-contaminated polyethylene microplastics on zebrafish development through chronic exposure. The study assessed how microplastics, both alone and as carriers of adsorbed organic pollutants, affect developing fish. The findings provide new insights into how contaminated microplastics may create additional routes for toxic compounds to enter aquatic food webs.

2022 Chemosphere 66 citations
Article Tier 2

The combined toxic effects of polyvinyl chloride microplastics and di(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate on the juvenile zebrafish (Danio rerio)

Researchers studied the combined toxic effects of PVC microplastics and the plasticizer DEHP on zebrafish embryos and larvae. While PVC alone slowed hatching and increased death rates, the combination of PVC and DEHP actually showed some antagonistic effects, reducing certain types of damage compared to individual exposures. The study provides insight into how microplastics and their associated chemicals may interact in complex ways when organisms are exposed to them together in natural waters.

2022 Journal of Hazardous Materials 95 citations
Article Tier 2

A mechanistic understanding of the effects of polyethylene terephthalate nanoplastics in the zebrafish (Danio rerio) embryo

Researchers exposed zebrafish embryos to nanoplastics made from PET, the plastic commonly used in water bottles and food packaging. The nanoplastics accumulated in the liver, intestine, and kidneys, causing oxidative stress, damaging cell energy systems, and disrupting metabolism. This is the first comprehensive study of PET nanoplastic toxicity mechanisms, and it is particularly relevant because PET is one of the most common plastics that humans encounter daily.

2023 Scientific Reports 68 citations
Article Tier 2

Recycled polyvinyl chloride microplastics: investigation of environmentally relevant concentrations on toxicity in adult zebrafish

Researchers investigated the toxicity of recycled PVC microplastics at environmentally relevant concentrations in adult zebrafish, finding that these particles release chemicals that cause measurable toxic effects in exposed organisms.

2023 Journal of Toxicology and Environmental Health 6 citations
Article Tier 2

In vivo toxicity of Dioctyl Phthalate in adult and zebrafish larvae.

Researchers tested the toxicity of the plasticizer dioctyl phthalate on zebrafish embryos and adults, finding developmental abnormalities and dose-dependent organ damage including fatty liver, renal necrosis, and oligospermia, with larvae more sensitive than adults.

2026 Toxicology reports
Article Tier 2

Behavioural impact of microplastics on zebrafish development

Researchers assessed the developmental effects of environmentally relevant, household-derived microplastic fragments on zebrafish, rather than the pristine polymer spheres typically used in lab studies. While exposure did not cause embryonic death or gross malformations, the study found significant sublethal effects including reduced touch-evoked escape responses in larvae, suggesting behavioral impacts from realistic microplastic exposure.

2026
Article Tier 2

Effect of Early-Life Exposure of Polystyrene Microplastics on Behavior and DNA Methylation in Later Life Stage of Zebrafish

Researchers exposed zebrafish embryos to polystyrene microplastics during early development and then assessed neurobehavioral effects later in life. The study found that early-life microplastic exposure caused lasting changes in behavior and DNA methylation patterns, suggesting that developmental exposure to microplastics may have long-term epigenetic consequences on neurodevelopment.

2022 Archives of Environmental Contamination and Toxicology 47 citations
Article Tier 2

Plastic leachate-induced toxicity during sea urchin embryonic development: Insights into the molecular pathways affected by PVC

Researchers found that chemical leachates from PVC microplastics disrupted sea urchin embryonic development, revealing molecular pathway alterations in skeletal formation and stress responses that highlight a previously underexplored route of developmental ecotoxicity.

2022 The Science of The Total Environment 34 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

Unravelling the developmental toxicity of heavy metals using zebrafish as a model: a narrative review

This review summarizes research on how heavy metals, including cadmium, lead, mercury, and arsenic, harm developing zebrafish embryos, which share about 80% of their genes with humans. These metals cause oxidative stress, disrupt brain development, and trigger cell death at environmentally relevant levels. The findings are relevant to microplastics research because microplastics can carry and concentrate these same heavy metals, potentially worsening their toxic effects on human development.

2025 BioMetals 8 citations
Article Tier 2

Research progress of model animal zebrafish in toxicity evaluation of microplastics

This review examines the use of zebrafish as a model organism for evaluating the toxicity of microplastics, synthesizing research on how microplastic exposure affects development, reproduction, and physiological function in this well-established vertebrate model. The authors highlight zebrafish as a particularly valuable system for mechanistic toxicology studies given its genetic tractability and the breadth of endpoints assessable across life stages.

2022 SHILAP Revista de lepidopterología 1 citations
Article Tier 2

Embryotoxicity of polystyrene microplastics in zebrafish Danio rerio

Researchers exposed zebrafish embryos to polystyrene microplastics during early development and observed serious physical deformities, particularly in the spine, tail, and eyes, despite no increase in mortality. The exposed larvae also showed elevated expression of genes involved in oxidative stress defense and cellular detoxification. The findings suggest that microplastics can disrupt critical developmental stages in freshwater fish even when they do not directly cause death.

2021 Environmental Research 136 citations
Article Tier 2

Morphometric effects of various weathered and virgin/pure microplastics on sac fry zebrafish (Danio rerio)

Researchers exposed sac fry zebrafish (Danio rerio) to weathered and virgin microplastics of various polymer types and found significant morphometric developmental effects, with weathered plastics generally causing greater biological harm than virgin counterparts due to differences in surface chemistry and plasticizer content.

2021 AIMS environmental science 5 citations
Article Tier 2

Accumulation and Distribution of Fluorescent Microplastics in the Early Life Stages of Zebrafish

Researchers tracked the accumulation and distribution of fluorescent microplastics in early life stages of a freshwater organism, finding that microplastics were taken up and distributed across body tissues. The results help explain how microplastics accumulate in young aquatic organisms and potentially affect their development.

2021 Journal of Visualized Experiments 5 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastics alter development, behavior, and innate immunity responses following bacterial infection during zebrafish embryo-larval development

Researchers found that polystyrene microplastics altered zebrafish larval development, behavior, and innate immune responses in a timing-dependent manner, with early embryonic exposure through the egg chorion amplifying susceptibility to subsequent bacterial infection.

2022 Chemosphere 24 citations
Article Tier 2

Acute toxic effects of polyethylene microplastic on adult zebrafish

Researchers exposed adult zebrafish to polyethylene microplastics of various sizes to identify physical effects, behavioral changes, and gene expression impacts. They found that microplastic ingestion varied by particle size and that exposure altered expression of detoxification and reproduction-related genes. The study suggests that microplastic pollution at environmentally relevant concentrations could affect both the health and reproductive capacity of fish.

2019 Ecotoxicology and Environmental Safety 290 citations
Article Tier 2

Adverse effects of plastic leachate and its component 2,4-DTBP on the early development of zebrafish embryos

Researchers found that leachate from UV-aged agricultural plastic mulch films causes mortality, malformation, and reduced hatching in zebrafish embryos, and identified the phenolic antioxidant additive 2,4-di-tert-butylphenol as a contributor that disrupts fat digestion, pancreatic function, and energy metabolism at the transcriptomic level.

2023 The Science of The Total Environment 18 citations