Papers

20 results
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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

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

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

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

Developmental exposure to polystyrene nanoplastics induces persistent neurobehavioral changes and alters later-life susceptibility to hexabromocyclododecane in zebrafish

Researchers exposed zebrafish embryos to polystyrene nanoplastics during early development and tracked behavioral effects into adulthood. The study found that early-life nanoplastic exposure caused persistent reductions in locomotor activity and altered how adult fish responded to a common flame retardant chemical. Evidence indicates that epigenetic changes, including altered DNA methylation and gene expression patterns, may underlie these long-lasting behavioral effects.

2026 Ecotoxicology and Environmental Safety
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

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

Nanoplastics impact the zebrafish (Danio rerio) transcriptome: Associated developmental and neurobehavioral consequences

Researchers exposed developing zebrafish larvae to polystyrene nanoplastics of two sizes and found dose-dependent accumulation in tissues along with swimming hyperactivity, despite no effects on mortality or hatching. Transcriptomic analysis revealed changes in gene expression associated with neurodegeneration and motor dysfunction at both high and low concentrations. The study suggests that nanoplastic exposure during early development can alter brain function and behavior in ways that may reduce organismal fitness.

2020 Environmental Pollution 150 citations
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

Maternal transfer of nanoplastics to offspring in zebrafish (Danio rerio): A case study with nanopolystyrene

Researchers demonstrated maternal transfer of polystyrene nanoplastics in zebrafish by feeding exposed females and detecting particles in yolk sacs, livers, and guts of offspring, finding that transferred nanoplastics reduced antioxidant enzyme activity and caused bradycardia in embryos without major effects on overall reproductive success.

2018 The Science of The Total Environment 391 citations
Article Tier 2

Unseen threats: How nanoplastics trigger anxiety and depression-like behaviors in zebrafish (Danio rerio)

Researchers exposed zebrafish embryos to 20 nm polystyrene nanoplastics during early development and found that six months later the fish showed persistent anxiety- and depression-like behaviors, neurotransmitter imbalances, and neuronal degeneration, suggesting early-life nanoplastic exposure may be an overlooked environmental risk factor for neuropsychiatric disorders.

2025 Environmental Pollution
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

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

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

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 act as endocrine disruptors altering neurotransmitter levels and locomotor activity via estrogen receptor during early zebrafish development

Researchers showed that polystyrene nanoplastics act as endocrine disruptors in developing zebrafish by activating estrogen receptor pathways, causing reduced dopamine neuron area, increased brain cell death, and impaired movement — effects that were reversed when the estrogen receptor was blocked.

2025 Aquatic Toxicology 13 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 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

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

Parental exposure to polystyrene microplastics at environmentally relevant concentrations has negligible transgenerational effects on zebrafish (Danio rerio)

Zebrafish parents exposed to polystyrene microplastics (1 µm) for 21 days at concentrations >100 µg/L showed intestinal accumulation and altered gonadal steroidogenic gene expression, but no significant transgenerational effects on offspring survival, growth, or development — suggesting negligible reproductive transmission at these exposures.

2020 Ecotoxicology and Environmental Safety 74 citations