Environmental Science & Technology,
Journal Year:
2023,
Volume and Issue:
57(21), P. 7966 - 7977
Published: May 15, 2023
Sunlight
transforms
plastic
into
water-soluble
products,
the
potential
toxicity
of
which
remains
unresolved,
particularly
for
vertebrate
animals.
We
evaluated
acute
and
gene
expression
in
developing
zebrafish
larvae
after
5
days
exposure
to
photoproduced
(P)
dark
(D)
leachates
from
additive-free
polyethylene
(PE)
film
consumer-grade,
additive-containing,
conventional,
recycled
PE
bags.
Using
a
"worst-case"
scenario,
with
concentrations
exceeding
those
found
natural
waters,
we
observed
no
toxicity.
However,
at
molecular
level,
RNA
sequencing
revealed
differences
number
differentially
expressed
genes
(DEGs)
each
leachate
treatment:
thousands
(5442
P,
577
D)
film,
tens
additive-containing
conventional
bag
(14
7
D),
none
bag.
Gene
ontology
enrichment
analyses
suggested
that
disrupted
neuromuscular
processes
via
biophysical
signaling;
this
was
most
pronounced
leachates.
suggest
fewer
DEGs
elicited
by
bags
(and
bags)
could
be
due
composition
caused
titanium
dioxide-catalyzed
reactions
not
present
PE.
This
work
demonstrates
photoproducts
can
product
formulation-specific.
Environmental Science & Technology,
Journal Year:
2023,
Volume and Issue:
57(38), P. 14127 - 14137
Published: Sept. 8, 2023
In
this
study,
we
investigated
the
mechanism
underlying
perturbation
of
hepatic
lipid
metabolism
in
response
to
micro/nanoplastic
(MP/NP)
exposure
at
environmentally
relevant
concentrations.
Polystyrene
(PS)
MPs/NPs
with
different
sizes
(0.1,
0.5,
and
5.0
μm)
were
studied
for
their
effects
on
homeostasis
function
Nile
tilapia
(Oreochromis
niloticus)
liver.
Results
showed
that
PS
readily
internalized
accumulated
various
internal
organs/tissues,
especially
fish
liver
muscle.
Smaller-sized
NPs
caused
more
severe
toxicity
than
larger
MPs,
including
steatosis,
inflammatory
response,
disturbed
function.
Mechanistically,
a
particle
size
100
nm
perturbed
protein
endoplasmic
reticulum
(ER)
by
inhibiting
expression
chaperone
proteins
genes
involved
ER-associated
degradation.
This
led
activation
PERK-eIF2α
pathway,
which
dysfunction
metabolism.
Induction
oxidative
stress
Nrf2/Keap1
pathway
also
NP-induced
accumulation.
These
findings
highlight
potential
adverse
environmental
aquatic
organisms,
raising
concerns
about
ecotoxicity
food
safety.
