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Aquatic Toxicology (Amsterdam,... Feb 2024Because of widespread environmental contamination, there is growing concern that nanoplastics may pose a risk to humans and the environment. Due to their small particle...
Because of widespread environmental contamination, there is growing concern that nanoplastics may pose a risk to humans and the environment. Due to their small particle size, nanoplastics may cross the blood-nerve barrier and distribute within the nervous system. The present study systematically investigated the uptake/distribution and developmental/neurobehavioral toxicities of different sizes (80, 200, and 500 nm) of polystyrene nanoplastics (PS) in embryonic and juvenile zebrafish. The results indicate that all three sizes of PS could cross the chorion, adsorb by the yolk, and distribute into the intestinal tract, eye, brain, and dorsal trunk of zebrafish, but with different patterns. The organ distribution and observed developmental and neurobehavioral effects varied as a function of PS size. Although all PS exposures induced cell death and inflammation at the cellular level, only exposures to the larger PS resulted in oxidative stress. Meanwhile, exposure to the 80 nm PS increased the expression of neural and optical-specific mRNAs. Collectively, these studies indicate that early life-stage exposures to PS adversely affect zebrafish neurodevelopment and that the observed toxicities are influenced by particle size.
Topics: Humans; Animals; Polystyrenes; Zebrafish; Microplastics; Water Pollutants, Chemical; Nanoparticles
PubMed: 38266469
DOI: 10.1016/j.aquatox.2024.106842 -
Molecules (Basel, Switzerland) Apr 2017This contribution presents an updated overview of the different copolymers containing stereoregular polystyrene blocks. Special emphasis is placed on syndiospecific and... (Review)
Review
This contribution presents an updated overview of the different copolymers containing stereoregular polystyrene blocks. Special emphasis is placed on syndiospecific and isospecific copolymerization of styrene with co-monomers (ethylene and α-olefins, conjugated and non-conjugated dienes, styrene derivatives, etc.). The catalytic systems involved are described and the polymerization mechanisms are discussed. Alternative approaches (simultaneous, living, chain-transfer and graft copolymerization) and the resulting detailed structures and characteristics of the copolymers are also reported.
Topics: Alkenes; Catalysis; Ethylenes; Metals; Polymerization; Polymers; Polystyrenes; Styrenes
PubMed: 28387742
DOI: 10.3390/molecules22040594 -
Effect of Nanoplastic Type and Surface Chemistry on Particle Agglomeration over a Salinity Gradient.Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry Jul 2021Agglomeration of nanoplastics in waters can alter their transport and fate in the environment. Agglomeration behavior of 4 nanoplastics differing in core composition...
Agglomeration of nanoplastics in waters can alter their transport and fate in the environment. Agglomeration behavior of 4 nanoplastics differing in core composition (red- or blue-dyed polystyrene) and surface chemistry (plain or carboxylated poly[methyl methacrylate] [PMMA]) was investigated across a salinity gradient. No agglomeration was observed for carboxylated PMMA at any salinity, whereas the plain PMMA agglomerated at only 1 g/L. Both the red and the blue polystyrene agglomerated at 25 g/L. Results indicate that both composition and surface chemistry can impact how environmental salinity affects plastic nanoparticle agglomeration. Environ Toxicol Chem 2021;40:1822-1828. © 2021 The Authors. Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry published by Wiley Periodicals LLC on behalf of SETAC.
Topics: Ecotoxicology; Microplastics; Polystyrenes; Salinity; Water Pollutants, Chemical
PubMed: 33661533
DOI: 10.1002/etc.5030 -
Chemosphere Jan 2021Polystyrene foam (expanded and extruded polystyrene: EPS and XPS, respectively) is a ubiquitous and pervasive type of marine plastic whose physical properties, transport...
Polystyrene foam (expanded and extruded polystyrene: EPS and XPS, respectively) is a ubiquitous and pervasive type of marine plastic whose physical properties, transport and fate are distinctly different to those of other common (unfoamed) types of thermoplastic litter. In this study, a range of fragments of EPS and XPS retrieved from three beaches in southwest England have been characterised by energy-dispersive X-ray fluorescence (XRF) spectrometry in order to examine the chemical makeup and potential biological and geochemical impacts and interactions of this type of plastic waste. Analyses performed through sample faces and, in some cases and after dissection, through the material core, revealed variable concentrations of Fe, Ti and Zn among the fragments and, in many instances, within the same sample. This likely reflects the presence of reaction residues and pigments arising from the manufacture of polystyrene, and, for Fe and Ti, significant and heterogeneous ion and mineral acquisition from the environment during transport in suspension or while beached. Acquired oxides of Fe are partly responsible for the chemical fouling observed on the face of most samples and are able to act as an adsorbent for other metals, like Pb. Detection of Br in many fragments up to concentrations of 11,500 mg kg likely results from the incorporation of the flame retardant, hexabromocyclododecane, in EPS and XPS designed for (but not necessarily limited to) the construction sector. These observations suggest that EPS and XPS can act as both a source and sink for contaminants in the marine environment that merit further investigation.
Topics: England; Environmental Monitoring; Flame Retardants; Plastics; Polystyrenes
PubMed: 33297085
DOI: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2020.128087 -
The Science of the Total Environment Jul 2023Nanoplastics are an emerging environmental pollutant, having a potential risk to the terrestrial ecosystem. In the natural environment, almost all the micro-or...
Nanoplastics are an emerging environmental pollutant, having a potential risk to the terrestrial ecosystem. In the natural environment, almost all the micro-or nano-plastics will be aged by many factors and their characterizations of the surface will be modified. However, the toxicity and mechanism of the modified polystyrene nanoparticles (PS-NPs) to plant cells are not clear. In the study, the amino- and carboxyl-modified PS-NPs with different sizes (20 and 200 nm) were selected as the typical representatives to investigate their effects on protoplast cell viability, reactive oxygen species (ROS) production in the cell and the leakage of cell-inclusion and apoptosis. The results indicated that the 20 nm amino-modified PS-NPs (PS-20A) could significantly damage the structure of the cell, especially the cell membrane, chloroplast and mitochondrion. After being modified by amino group, smaller size nanoplastics had the potential to cause more severe damage. In addition, compared with carboxyl-modified PS-NPs, the amino-modified PS-NPs induced more ROS production and caused higher membrane permeability/lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) leakage. Apoptosis assay indicated that the proportion of viable cells in the PS-20A treatment decreased significantly, and the proportion of necrotic cells increased by four times. This study provides new insights into the toxicity and damage mechanism of PS-NPs to terrestrial vascular plants at the cellular level, and guides people to pay attention to the quality and safety of agricultural products caused by nanoplastics.
Topics: Humans; Aged; Polystyrenes; Triticum; Microplastics; Ecosystem; Reactive Oxygen Species; Protoplasts; Water Pollutants, Chemical; Nanoparticles
PubMed: 37080310
DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.163560 -
Journal of Hazardous Materials Oct 2022The widespread use of plastics and the rapid development of nanotechnology bring convenience to our lives while also increasing the environmental burden and increasing...
The widespread use of plastics and the rapid development of nanotechnology bring convenience to our lives while also increasing the environmental burden and increasing the risk of exposure of organisms to nanoparticles (NPs). While recent studies have revealed an association between nanoparticles and liver injury, the intrinsic mechanism of NP exposure-induced liver damage remains to be explored. Here, we found that polystyrene nanoparticle (PSNP) exposure resulted in a significant increase in local neutrophil infiltration and neutrophil extracellular trap (NET) formation in the liver. Analysis of a coculture system of PBNs and AML12 cells revealed that PSNP-induced NET formation positively correlates with the reactive oxygen species (ROS)-NLRP3 axis. Inhibition of ROS and genetic and pharmacological inhibition of NLRP3 in AML12 can both alleviate PSNP-induced NET formation. In turn, exposure of mice to deoxyribonuclease I (DNase Ⅰ)-coated PSNPs disassembled NET in vivo, neutrophil infiltration in the liver was reduced, the ROS-NLRP3 axis was inhibited, and the expression of cytokines was markedly decreased. Collectively, our work reveals a mechanism of NET formation in PSNP exposure-induced liver inflammation and highlights the possible role of DNase Ⅰ as a key enzyme in degrading NET and alleviating liver inflammation.
Topics: Animals; DNA; Deoxyribonuclease I; Extracellular Traps; Inflammation; Liver; Mice; NLR Family, Pyrin Domain-Containing 3 Protein; Nanoparticles; Neutrophils; Polystyrenes; Reactive Oxygen Species
PubMed: 35868089
DOI: 10.1016/j.jhazmat.2022.129502 -
BMC Veterinary Research Apr 2024Polystyrene nanoplastic (PS-NPs) and Engine oil (EO) pose multiple ecotoxic effects with increasing threat to fish ecosystems. The current study investigated the...
Polystyrene nanoplastic and engine oil synergistically intensify toxicity in Nile tilapia, Oreochromis niloticus : Polystyrene nanoplastic and engine oil toxicity in Nile tilapia.
Polystyrene nanoplastic (PS-NPs) and Engine oil (EO) pose multiple ecotoxic effects with increasing threat to fish ecosystems. The current study investigated the toxicity of 15 days exposure to PS-NPs and / or EO to explore their combined synergistic effects on Nile tilapia, Oreochromis niloticus (O. niloticus). Hematobiochemical parameters, proinflammatory cytokines, and oxidative stress biomarkers as well as histological alterations were evaluated. The experimental design contained 120 acclimated Nile tilapia distributed into four groups, control, PS-NPs (5 mg/L), EO (1%) and their combination (PS-NPs + EO). After 15-days of exposure, blood and tissue samples were collected from all fish experimental groups. Results indicated that Nile tilapia exposed to PS-NPs and / or EO revealed a significant decrease in almost all the measured hematological parameters in comparison to the control, whereas WBCs and lymphocyte counts were significantly increased in the combined group only. Results clarified that the combined PS-NPs + EO group showed the maximum decrease in RBCs, Hb, MCH and MCHC, and showed the maximum significant rise in interleukin-1β (IL-1β), and interleukin-6 (IL-6) in comparison to all other exposed groups. Meanwhile, total antioxidant capacity (TAC) showed a significant (p < 0.05) decline only in the combination group, whereas reduced glutathione (GSH) showed a significant decline in all exposed groups in comparison to the control. Both malondialdehyde (MDA) and aspartate aminotransferase (AST) showed a significant elevation only in the combination group. Uric acid showed the maximum elevation in the combination group than all other groups, whereas creatinine showed significant elevation in the EO and combination group when compared to the control. Furthermore, the present experiment proved that exposure to these toxicants either individually or in combination is accompanied by pronounced histomorpholgical damage characterized by severe necrosis and hemorrhage of the vital organs of Nile tilapia, additionally extensively inflammatory conditions with leucocytes infiltration. We concluded that combination exposure to both PS-NPs and EO caused severe anemia, extreme inflammatory response, oxidative stress, and lipid peroxidation effects, thus they can synergize with each other to intensify toxicity in fish.
Topics: Animals; Microplastics; Polystyrenes; Cichlids; Ecosystem; Liver; Antioxidants; Oxidative Stress; Interleukin-6
PubMed: 38622626
DOI: 10.1186/s12917-024-03987-z -
Nanoscale Jan 2015Colloidal particles with two or more different surface properties (Janus particles) are of interest in catalysis, biological imaging, and drug delivery. Eccentric...
Colloidal particles with two or more different surface properties (Janus particles) are of interest in catalysis, biological imaging, and drug delivery. Eccentric nanoparticles are a type of Janus particle consisting of a shell that envelops the majority of a core particle, leaving a portion of the core surface exposed. Previous work to synthesize eccentric nanoparticles from silica and polystyrene have only used microemulsion techniques. In contrast we report the sol-gel synthesis of eccentric Janus nanoparticles composed of a silica shell around a carboxylate-modified polystyrene core (Janus templates). In addition, we have synthesized nano-bowl-like structures after the removal of the polystyrene core by organic solvent. These Janus templates and nanobowls can be used as a versatile platform for site-specific functionalization or controlled theranostic delivery.
Topics: Carboxylic Acids; Nanoparticles; Nanostructures; Particle Size; Polystyrenes; Silicon Dioxide; Solvents; Surface Properties
PubMed: 25431230
DOI: 10.1039/c4nr05153j -
Journal of Hazardous Materials Aug 2022Microplastic particles (MP), arising from the gradual decomposition of plastics in the environment, have been identified as a global problem. Most investigations of MP...
Microplastic particles (MP), arising from the gradual decomposition of plastics in the environment, have been identified as a global problem. Most investigations of MP cytotoxicity use pristine spherical particles available from commercial sources when evaluating their impact on mammalian cells, while only limited data is available for the more relevant "weathered microplastic". In this study, we exposed murine macrophages to polystyrene MP either after up to 130 days of accelerated ageing or in pristine condition. Weathered and pristine MP were physicochemically characterized, and their cytotoxicity was investigated using biological assays, transcriptome analysis, and metabolic pathways prediction. Whereas the response to pristine MP is mainly dominated by a TNF-α release, sharp-edged weathered MP induce broader adverse cellular reactions. This study stresses the importance of including more realistic test particles (e.g., weathered particles) in combination with a broad range of biological assays when evaluating the potential risk of microplastic exposure.
Topics: Animals; Mammals; Mice; Microplastics; Plastics; Polystyrenes; Water Pollutants, Chemical; Weather
PubMed: 35472543
DOI: 10.1016/j.jhazmat.2022.128955 -
The Science of the Total Environment Sep 2023The biological effects of nanoplastics has grown exponentially over the past few years. However, little is known about the effects of nanoplastic exposure on gonadal...
The biological effects of nanoplastics has grown exponentially over the past few years. However, little is known about the effects of nanoplastic exposure on gonadal development in crustaceans. Thus, juvenile oriental river prawns (Macrobrachium nipponense) were exposed to different concentrations of 75-nm polystyrene nanoplastics (0, 5, 10, 20, and 40 mg/L) for 28 days to study the effects of exposure to nanoplastics on gonadal development. The genes encoding extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) and mitogen-activated protein kinase kinase (MEK) were selected and the nutrient composition, sex hormone level, and gonad development-related gene expression were determined. Crude lipid and crude protein decreased with exposure to higher concentrations of nanoplastics, whereas there were no significant differences in levels of ash or moisture (P > 0.05). Full-length Mn-ERK and Mn-MEK cDNAs were cloned from M. nipponense and homologous comparisons showed that the genes had conserved functional sequences and had evolved consistently in invertebrates. With nanoplastics concentration increased, the serum sex hormone (estradiol, progesterone, and testosterone) levels of juvenile shrimp first increased and then decreased. In addition, the expression of gonad development-related genes (Vitellogenin, Vitellogenin receptor, Cyclin B, Gametocyte Specific Factor 1, Vasa, and PL10), MEK and ERK initially increased and then decreased with increasing nanoplastic concentration. This suggests that polystyrene nanoplastics reduce the accumulation of nutrients and lead to suppression of gonadal development in juvenile M. nipponense and, thus, provides basic information on the toxic effects of nanoplastics that could extend to other crustaceans.
Topics: Animals; Microplastics; Palaemonidae; Polystyrenes; Estradiol; Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase Kinases; Nutrients
PubMed: 37257611
DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.164481