Nanoplastics amplify 6PPD ocular toxicity in zebrafish

Mucin (Mu), a biological substance extracted from jellyfish (Aurelia aurita), was used to reduce the toxic effect of polystyrene nanoplastics (PS-NP) combined with phenanthrene (Phe) in the aquatic environment of zebrafish (Danio rerio), among other aquatic organisms. Mu showed a high binding capacity, as it bound to 92.84% and 92.87% of the PS-NPs (concentration of 2.0 mg/L) after 0.5 h and 8 h, respectively. A zebrafish embryo development test was conducted to check for any reduction in toxicity by Mu. When exposed to PS-NP + Mu and PS-NP + Phe + Mu, respectively, the hatching rates were 88.33 ± 20.21% and 93.33 ± 2.89%, respectively; these results were not significantly different from those of the control group. However, the hatching rate with the addition of Mu increased, compared to that of the PS-NP (71.83 ± 13.36%) and Phe (37.50 ± 19.83%) treatments, and the morphological abnormality rate decreased. The presence of Mu was also found to obstruct the absorption of PS-NP and PS-NP + Phe by the zebrafish. When zebrafish embryos were exposed to PS-NP at a concentration of 5.0 mg/L, the hatching rate differed significantly from that of the control group, and the expression of CAT and p53 genes increased significantly, but the expression of Bcl-2 decreased significantly. An mRNA sequence analysis revealed that the gene expression levels of the test group containing Mu were similar to those of the control group. These results infer that Mu can be used as a biological material to collect and remove PS-NPs from aquatic environments and reduce toxicity.

Hydrophobicity-driven self-assembly of nanoplastics and silver nanoparticles for the detection of polystyrene microspheres using surface enhanced Raman spectroscopy

Aggregation kinetics of UV irradiated nanoplastics in aquatic environments

Transcriptomic and metabolic reprogramming of durum wheat under nanoplastic exposure

Lipophagy suppression: a novel mechanism for developmental disruption by nanoplastics/MC-LR in zebrafish.

Plastics are ubiquitous in modern society due to their cost-effectiveness, lightweight nature, and versatility. However, their extensive use and inadequate recycling have led to a significant environmental challenge, with plastic waste accumulating rapidly and causing ecological and health problems, especially in aquatic environments. Nanoplastics, particles ranging from 1 to 100 nm, have emerged as a particularly concerning subset due to their ability to easily penetrate biological barriers and accumulate in tissues. In this study, we investigated the toxicity of carboxylate-modified polystyrene nanoplastics (PS-NPs) on common carp (Cyprinus carpio), a species often used in ecotoxicology research due to its ability to accumulate pollutants. The PS-NPs were characterized, and their effects on DNA damage gene expression related to oxidative stress and immunity were examined. PS-NPs with a diameter of 20-30 nm were found to possess a spherical shape and negatively charged surfaces. Exposure to PS-NPs led to significant DNA damage in the blood and brain cells of common carp, with higher concentrations resulting in more severe damage. Additionally, PS-NP exposure influenced the expression of genes related to antioxidative defense and stress response in the liver. Specifically, genes encoding superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), and heat shock protein 70 (Hsp70) showed upregulation, while glutathione peroxidase (GPx) and glutathione S-transferase (GST) exhibited downregulation at higher PS-NP concentrations. Furthermore, the immune-related genes interleukin-1ß (IL-1ß), interleukin-8 (IL-8), and tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) displayed dose-dependent downregulation in the liver tissue. These findings suggest that exposure to PS-NPs induces oxidative stress, disrupts immune responses, and causes DNA damage in common carp. The results highlight the need for further research on the environmental impacts of PS-NPs and underscore the importance of proper waste management and recycling practices to mitigate plastic pollution.

ADB-FUBINACA-induced developmental toxicity, neurotoxicity, and cardiotoxicity in embryonic zebrafish (Danio rerio).

Comparison of toxicity values across zebrafish early life stages and mammalian studies: Implications for chemical testing.

Synthetic microbial communities derived from nanoplastic-reshaped root endophytes alleviate phytotoxicity in Populus × euramericana cv. '74/76'.

The harmful effects of blue light on the retina and health issues attributed to flickering light have been researched extensively. However, reports on the effects of flickering blue light at a frequency in the visible range on the retina are limited. This study aimed to non-invasively investigate the structural and functional changes in mice retinas following exposure to flickering blue light. BALB/c mice were subjected to non-flickering and flickering blue light, and changes in the retinal function and structure were assessed using electroretinography (ERG) and spectral-domain optical coherence tomography (SD-OCT), respectively. Retinal damage progression was monitored on days 3, 7, 14, and 42 following light exposure. Significant reductions in scotopic and photopic ERG responses were observed on day 3 (p<0.05). On day 7, the non-flickering and flickering groups demonstrated different functional changes: the flickering group showed further ERG response reduction, while the non-flickering group showed no reduction or slight improvement that was statistically insignificant (p>0.05). A similar trend lasted by day 14. On day 42, however, the difference between the non-flickering and flickering groups was significant, which was corroborated by the normalized amplitudes at 0, 0.5, and 1 log cd s/m2 (p<0.05). Quantitative and qualitative SD-OCT assays revealed more severe and progressive retinal damage in the flickering group throughout the study. Flickering blue light causes more persistent and severe retinal damage than non-flickering blue light and may be a risk factor for retinal degeneration even at frequencies as low as 20 Hz.

Polystyrene microplastics enhance microcystin-LR-induced cardiovascular toxicity and oxidative stress in zebrafish embryos

Polystyrene nanoplastics synergistically exacerbate diclofenac toxicity in embryonic development and the health of adult zebrafish

In vivo toxicity assessment of Remazol Gelb–GR (RG-GR) textile dye in zebrafish embryos/larvae (Danio rerio): Teratogenic effects, biochemical changes, immunohistochemical changes

Polystyrene nanoplastics (PS-NPs) are increasingly discovered in aquatic ecosystems, posing ecological and human health problems. Identifying PS-NPs in complex environmental matrices remains difficult due to their small dimension, chemical passiveness, and the existence of background interferences. Recent improvements in sensor and biosensor technologies have shown promise for improving the sensitivity, selectivity and portability of PS-NPs detection systems. However, maintaining high detection accuracy while minimizing false signals and matrix interferences remains a significant challenge. Limited selectivity, sensor fouling, and a lack of standardization across detection platforms add to the complexity of analysis. To improve recognition performance, several ways have been investigated, including surface functionalization, nanomaterial immobilization and substrate modification. These strategies seek to overcome limitations in sensitivity, repeatability, and environmental applicability. As a result, more advanced sensor platforms capable of detecting low concentrations in real time are urgently needed. This study highlights recent research on sensor and biosensor technologies used to detect PS-NPs, with a focus on the integration of nanomaterials and molecular recognition elements. Literature from ScienceDirect and IEEE Xplore indexed journals until June 2025 was reviewed. The findings indicate that hybrid sensor systems, particularly those employing plasmonic nanoparticles and functionalized nanostructures, are at the forefront of PS-NPs detection research. To find novel sensing methodologies, this review examines current technologies and compares their merits using recent case studies and performance analysis.

Nanoplastics are ubiquitous in aquatic environments, and elucidating their bioaccumulation behavior is essential for assessing toxicity and trophic transfer risks. While most studies focus on nanoplastics properties (e.g., type, size, surface charge), the influence of organismal growth stage remains unclear. Through bioaccumulation kinetic experiments with 10 mg/L polystyrene nanoplastics (PSNPs), this study found that Tetrahymena thermophila (T. thermophila) in the lag phase (cell density 4 × 104 cells/mL) exhibited the highest uptake rate of nanoplastics, 1.2-5.8 times that of the exponential phase (1-5 × 105 cells/mL) and 7.7 times that of the stationary phase (>5 × 105 cells/mL). Lag phase cells also had a larger specific surface area (0.319 vs. 0.271/0.269 μm-1), supporting their heightened uptake capacity. Under PSNP exposure, exponential and stationary phase cells showed significantly elevated reactive oxygen species (ROS) levels, accompanied by downregulated superoxide dismutase (SOD) and stable catalase (CAT) activity, indicating impaired antioxidant defense and potential redirection of energy toward stress mitigation. Consistent with efficient internalization, confocal imaging revealed clear PSNP colocalization within food vacuoles of lag period cells. Proteomic and transcriptomic analysis further confirmed the upregulation of carrier proteins, FAD/FMN oxidoreductases, and pathways associated with cellular components (membrane and organelle membrane) and molecular functions (transporter activity and transmembrane transporter activity) in lag-phase T. thermophila. Collectively, these findings provide a molecular-level understanding of the multi-phase-dependent bioaccumulation of PSNPs, offering critical insights for assessing the environmental risks of polystyrene nanoplastics in dynamic aquatic ecosystems.