Biochemical, Genotoxic and Histological Implications of Polypropylene Microplastics on Freshwater Fish Oreochromis mossambicus: An Aquatic Eco-Toxicological Assessment

Abstract

In recent years, polypropylene microplastic has persisted in freshwater ecosystems and biota, forming ever-growing threats. This research aimed to prepare polypropylene microplastics and evaluate their toxicity to the filter feeder Oreochromis mossambicus. In this research, fish were given a dietary supplement of polypropylene microplastics at 100, 500, and 1000 mg/kg for acute (96 h) and sub-acute (14 days) durations to assess toxic effects on liver tissues. FTIR results revealed the presence of polypropylene microplastic in their digestion matter. The ingestion of microplastics in O. mossambicus led to fluctuations in homeostasis, an upsurge in reactive oxygen species (ROS) levels, an alteration in antioxidant parameters, including superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), glutathione-S–transferase (GST), and glutathione peroxidase (GPx); a promotion in the oxidation of lipid molecules; and a denaturation in the neurotransmitter enzyme acetylcholinesterase (AChE). Our data indicated that sustained exposure to microplastics (14 days) produced a more severe threat than acute exposure (96 h). In addition, higher apoptosis, DNA damage (genotoxicity), and histological changes were found in the liver tissues of the sub-acute (14 days) microplastics-treated groups. This research indicated that the constant ingestion of polypropylene microplastics is detrimental to freshwater environments and leads to ecological threats.

Effect of Microplastics on the Activity of Digestive and Oxidative-Stress-Related Enzymes in Peled Whitefish (Coregonus peled Gmelin) Larvae

“…In several experiments, the specific activity of CAT incr under PS-MP exposure in zebrafish, guppy, and discus fish [21,28,48,50]. Some other ies reported a decrease in CAT activity in various freshwater fish species in respon MPs [36,40,42,58]. Analysis of the literature did not show clear associations between activity and the design of the experiment or the type/sizes of MPs used to assess the of waterborne MP exposure on fish.…”

“…However, currently available quantitative data on the effect of MPs on antioxidant enzyme activity in fish are largely contradictory. Some studies showed an increase in the activity of superoxide dismutase (SOD) in fish exposed to MPs [21,28,41,42], while others reported a decrease in SOD activity in freshwater fish [36].…”

“…GIT oxidative stress along with histological damage are the most reported organ and level effects of MPs in freshwater fish [7]. The implications of MPs regarding the activity of enzymes involved in protecting cells from oxidative damage, such as catalase, superoxide dismutase, and glutathione peroxidase, were evaluated in Danio rerio [21,24,28,40] and several commercial freshwater species [41,42], yielding controversial results.…”

Elucidating the effects of naturally weathered aged-polypropylene microplastics and newly procured polypropylene microplastics on raw 264.7 macrophages

“…In liver tissues, MPs might cause apoptosis or cell death. 58 According to Poma et al (2019), polystyrene microplastics increased DNA damage in the human fibroblast hs27 cell line. 59 Ballesteros et al (2020) observed that polystyrene microparticle exposure increased DNA damage in human monocytes and polymorphonuclear cells.…”

Investigating the Impact of Microplastics on Fish Muscle Cell Proliferation and Differentiation: Enhancing Food Safety in Cultivated Meat Production

“…From a cellular perspective, the risks of microplastics become more intricate. The direct interaction between cells and microplastics can lead to physical disruptions, such as membrane damage (Dai et al, 2022; Fleury & Baulin, 2021; Wang et al, 2022), and chemicals inherent to or leached from these plastics are known to induce oxidative stress, inflammatory responses, and genotoxic effects (Alqahtani et al, 2023; Cao et al, 2023; Goodman et al, 2021; Herrala et al, 2023; Hirt & Body-Malapel, 2020; Jeyavani et al, 2023; Mattioda et al, 2023). Potential risks of such interactions encompass DNA lesions, organ dysfunctions, metabolic irregularities, immunological aberrations, neurotoxicity, and perturbations in reproductive and developmental processes (Galluzzi et al, 2018).…”