Papers

20 results
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Article Tier 2

Uptake, bioaccumulation, biodistribution and depuration of polystyrene nanoplastics in zebrafish (Danio rerio)

Researchers used advanced mass spectrometry to track how polystyrene nanoplastics accumulate in and are cleared from zebrafish tissues over time. The nanoplastics concentrated most in the intestine, liver, and gills, with only partial clearance after the exposure ended. This study provides important data on how persistent nanoplastics can be in living organisms, which helps scientists better assess the long-term risks of plastic particle exposure.

2023 The Science of The Total Environment 53 citations
Article Tier 2

Quantitative Tracking of Nanoplastic Uptake and Distributionin Zebrafish by Single-Particle Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometry

Researchers developed a framework using europium-doped polystyrene nanoplastics as tracers, combined with single-particle inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry, to quantitatively track nanoplastic uptake and distribution in zebrafish at the single-particle level. This method enabled real-time, size-resolved tracking of nanoplastics accumulating in different fish organs over time.

2025 Figshare
Article Tier 2

Uptake and Accumulation of Polystyrene Microplastics in Zebrafish (Danio rerio) and Toxic Effects in Liver

Researchers exposed zebrafish to polystyrene microplastics of two different sizes and tracked where the particles accumulated in the body. They found that smaller particles (5 micrometers) built up in the gills, liver, and gut, while larger particles (20 micrometers) mainly stayed in the gills and gut. The microplastics caused liver inflammation, oxidative stress, and disrupted fat metabolism, suggesting that ingested microplastics can damage internal organs in fish.

2016 Environmental Science & Technology 1980 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

Study of the effects of nanoplastics ingestion in a freshwater fish ( Danio rerio )

Researchers exposed zebrafish to polystyrene nanoplastics and found evidence of intestinal damage, oxidative stress, and behavioral changes. The study adds to growing evidence that nanoplastics in freshwater environments can harm fish health, with potential implications for the health of ecosystems and fish-eating humans.

2021 Annals of Medicine 4 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

Size-dependent and tissue specific accumulation of polystyrene microplastics and nanoplastics in zebrafish

Researchers tracked size-dependent accumulation of polystyrene micro- and nanoplastics in multiple zebrafish tissues, finding that smaller particles distributed more broadly throughout the body compared to larger ones. Nanoplastics showed greater systemic distribution including into brain and reproductive tissues, raising concerns about size-dependent health risks.

2025 Aquatic Toxicology
Article Tier 2

Quantitative Tracking of Nanoplastic Uptake and Distribution in Zebrafish by Single-Particle Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometry

Researchers developed a new method to track nanoplastics at the single-particle level in zebrafish using europium-doped polystyrene particles and mass spectrometry. They found that while most nanoplastics accumulated in the intestine, particles continuously penetrated into internal organs including the brain, demonstrating the ability to cross the blood-brain barrier. The study suggests that nanoplastics pose a systemic exposure risk, though the chorion of fish eggs appears to block their entry.

2025 Analytical Chemistry 1 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

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

Uptake, tissue distribution, and toxicity of polystyrene nanoparticles in developing zebrafish (Danio rerio)

Researchers tracked the uptake and distribution of polystyrene nanoparticles in developing zebrafish and found that the particles accumulated in the yolk sac and then spread to the brain, liver, heart, and other organs. While the nanoparticles did not cause significant mortality or deformities, they did reduce heart rate and alter swimming behavior. The study suggests that nanoplastics can penetrate biological barriers and accumulate in multiple tissues during early development.

2017 Aquatic Toxicology 614 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastics in Limnic Ecosystems - Investigation of Biological Fate and Effects of Microplastic Particles and Associated Contaminants in Zebrafish (Danio rerio)-

This doctoral thesis investigated how microplastics and their associated chemical contaminants affect zebrafish (Danio rerio) in freshwater environments, including ingestion, tissue accumulation, and toxicological effects. The research demonstrates that microplastics can act as vectors for pollutants like pesticides and pharmaceuticals, compounding their harmful effects on aquatic organisms.

2020 heiDOK (Heidelberg University) 5 citations
Article Tier 2

Quantitative Analysis of Polystyrene and Poly(methyl methacrylate) Nanoplastics in Tissues of Aquatic Animals

Researchers developed a new method to detect and measure nanoplastics in the tissues of aquatic animals with high sensitivity. Using a combination of tissue digestion and pyrolysis gas chromatography-mass spectrometry, they achieved detection limits as low as 0.03 micrograms per gram for polystyrene nanoplastics. When they tested 14 aquatic animal species, polystyrene nanoplastics were found in three of them, demonstrating that nanoplastic contamination is present in real-world wildlife.

2021 Environmental Science & Technology 112 citations
Article Tier 2

Implications of exposure route for the bioaccumulation potential of nanopolystyrene particles

Researchers compared how nanoplastics accumulate in zebrafish larvae depending on whether particles enter through the gut or through waterborne exposure via skin and gills. The study found that waterborne exposure led to broader distribution of nanoplastics throughout the body and longer retention, while orally ingested particles were largely eliminated within 48 hours.

2024 Chemosphere 5 citations
Article Tier 2

Development of Water Cluster-Secondary Ion Mass Spectrometry and Particle Induced X-ray Emission to Investigate Spatially Resolved Biological Responses to Nanopolystyrene in Zebrafish Larvae

Researchers developed advanced imaging techniques using water cluster-secondary ion mass spectrometry and particle-induced X-ray emission to study how nanoplastics interact with zebrafish larvae at the tissue level. They mapped the spatial distribution of elements and molecular changes in organs exposed to nanopolystyrene at environmentally realistic concentrations. The study provides new analytical methods for understanding how nanoplastics are taken up and distributed in living organisms, filling a critical gap in nanoplastic toxicology research.

2026
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

Lipid-Rich diet protects aquatic vertebrates by reducing polystyrene nanoparticles deposition and alleviating harmful effects from exposure

Researchers showed in zebrafish that polystyrene nanoplastics accumulate selectively in a narrow intestinal segment and alter immune and lipid metabolism gene expression, and that a lipid-rich diet significantly reduced intestinal nanoplastic deposition and partially restored normal transcriptomic profiles.

2025 Aquatic Toxicology
Article Tier 2

Using visualization techniques to assess the accumulation of nanoplastics with varying surface modifications

Researchers synthesized fluorescent PMMA nanoplastic particles to study cellular uptake and biodistribution in skin cells and zebrafish embryos, finding that PMMA nanoparticles can enter embryos and accumulate in larval bodies, and highlighting concerns that surface modifications on commercial polystyrene particles may produce misleading results in nanoplastic toxicity studies.

2023 1 citations
Article Tier 2

Uptake, distribution and elimination of palladium-doped polystyrene nanoplastics in rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) following dietary exposure

Researchers tracked the uptake, tissue distribution, and elimination of palladium-doped polystyrene nanoplastics in rainbow trout during dietary exposure and depuration. The study found that nanoplastics accumulated primarily in the intestinal tissues and were also detected in the liver, gallbladder, and kidney, with incomplete clearance after the depuration period.

2022 The Science of The Total Environment 46 citations
Article Tier 2

Particle size-dependent neurotoxicity of microplastics in zebrafish (Danio rerio): Spatially resolved lipidomics links metabolic dysregulation to neurological disorders

Researchers exposed zebrafish to polypropylene microplastics of different sizes and used spatial lipidomic imaging to show size-dependent disruptions in brain lipid metabolism, linking smaller particles to greater neurological disruption and identifying specific lipid dysregulation patterns.

2025 Journal of Hazardous Materials