Cited by 766Microplastics and Plastic PollutionEnvironmental Toxicology and EcotoxicologyMercury impact and mitigation studies

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Microplastics cause neurotoxicity, oxidative damage and energy-related changes and interact with the bioaccumulation of mercury in the European seabass, Dicentrarchus labrax (Linnaeus, 1758)

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Barboza, Luís Gabriel Antão, Vieira, Luís Russo, Branco, Vasco, Figueiredo, Neusa, Carvalho, Felix, Carvalho, Cristina, Guilhermino, Lúcia·2018·Aquatic Toxicology

DOI 10.1016/j.aquatox.2017.12.008

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Abstract

Microplastics pollution is a global paradigm that raises concern in relation to environmental and human health. This study investigated toxic effects of microplastics and mercury in the European seabass (Dicentrarchus labrax), a marine fish widely used as food for humans. A short-term (96 h) laboratory bioassay was done by exposing juvenile fish to microplastics (0.26 and 0.69 mg/L), mercury (0.010 and 0.016 mg/L) and binary mixtures of the two substances using the same concentrations, through test media. Microplastics alone and mercury alone caused neurotoxicity through acetylcholinesterase (AChE) inhibition, increased lipid oxidation (LPO) in brain and muscle, and changed the activities of the energy-related enzymes lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) and isocitrate dehydrogenase (IDH). All the mixtures caused significant inhibition of brain AChE activity (64-76%), and significant increase of LPO levels in brain (2.9-3.4 fold) and muscle (2.2-2.9 fold) but not in a concentration-dependent manner; mixtures containing low and high concentrations of microplastics caused different effects on IDH and LDH activity. Mercury was found to accumulate in the brain and muscle, with bioaccumulation factors of 4-7 and 25-40, respectively. Moreover, in the analysis of mercury concentrations in both tissues, a significant interaction between mercury and microplastics was found. The decay of mercury in the water increased with microplastics concentration, and was higher in the presence of fish than in their absence. Overall, these results indicate that: microplastics influence the bioaccumulation of mercury by D. labrax juveniles; microplastics, mercury and their mixtures (ppb range concentrations) cause neurotoxicity, oxidative stress and damage, and changes in the activities of energy-related enzymes in juveniles of this species; mixtures with the lowest and highest concentrations of their components induced different effects on some biomarkers. These findings and other published in the literature raise concern regarding high level predators and humans consuming fish being exposed to microplastics and heavy metals, and highlight the need of more research on the topic.

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“Therefore, microplastics pose large impacts on organisms at multiple levels, such as biochemical activities, behavior changes, life traits, and inhibition of health as malformations and cancer (Barboza et al. 2018).”
Background
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Polystyrene microplastics enhance microcystin-LR-induced cardiovascular toxicity and oxidative stress in zebrafish embryos
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Pharmaceutical Products and Pesticides Toxicity Associated with Microplastics (Polyvinyl Chloride) in Artemia salina
Albendín, G., Aranda, V., Oviedo, M. D. C., González-Gómez, C., Rodríguez-Barroso, R., Alonso, J. M. Q., & Arellano, J. M. (2021) · International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health · doi:10.3390/ijerph182010773 · Cited by 49
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Microplastic ingestion rates are phenotype-dependent in juvenile anemonefish
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Microplastic intake and enzymatic responses in Mytilus galloprovincialis reared at the vicinities of an aquaculture station
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Characteristics of Initial Attachment and Biofilm Formation of Pseudomonas aeruginosa on Microplastic Surfaces
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Toxicological Effects of Microplastics and Sulfadiazine on the Microalgae Chlamydomonas reinhardtii
Li, Z., Dong, S., Huang, F., Lin, L., Hu, Z., & Zheng, Y. (2022) · Frontiers in Microbiology · doi:10.3389/fmicb.2022.865768 · Cited by 46
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Detrimental consequences of micropolymers associated plasticizers on endocrinal disruption
Saha, U., Kumari, P., Ghosh, A., Sinha, A., Jena, S., Kirti, A., Gupta, A., Choudhury, A., Simnani, F. Z., Nandi, A., et al. (2024) · Materials Today Bio · doi:10.1016/j.mtbio.2024.101139 · Cited by 48
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Microplastic and nanoplastic pollution: Assessing translocation, impact, and mitigation strategies in marine ecosystems
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Biomarkers of neurotoxicity, oxidative stress, hepatotoxicity and lipid peroxidation in Clarias gariepinus exposed to melamine and polyvinyl chloride
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Authors: Barboza, L. G. A., Vieira, L. R., Branco, V., Figueiredo, N., Carvalho, F., Carvalho, C., & Guilhermino, L.
Affiliations: Ministry of Education (BR)
Universidade do Porto (PT)
University of Lisbon (PT)
Corresponding author: Barboza, Luís Gabriel Antão
ORCID: Barboza, Luís Gabriel Antão
Vieira, Luís Russo
Branco, Vasco
Figueiredo, Neusa
Carvalho, Cristina
Guilhermino, Lúcia
Venue: Aquatic Toxicology
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Published: 2018-02
Volume: 195
Pages: 49-57
ISSN: 0166-445X (ISSN-L)
DOI: 10.1016/j.aquatox.2017.12.008
OpenAlex: W2779948902
Cited by: 766
References: 74
Citations by year: 2026: 72 · 2025: 97 · 2024: 108 · 2023: 109 · 2022: 129 · 2021: 104 · 2020: 85 · 2019: 44 · 2018: 18
FWCI: 18.10
Type: journal article
Language: en
Open access: hybrid
doi.org
Licence: cc-by-nc-nd
www.elsevier.com/tdm/userlicense/1.0/ (tdm)
creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/ (vor)
Locations: Aquatic Toxicology (publishedVersion, cc-by-nc-nd)
PubMed (publishedVersion)
Funders: U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
European Regional Development Fund
Topics: Physical Sciences › Environmental Science › Pollution › Microplastics and Plastic Pollution
Physical Sciences › Environmental Science › Health, Toxicology and Mutagenesis › Environmental Toxicology and Ecotoxicology
Physical Sciences › Environmental Science › Health, Toxicology and Mutagenesis › Mercury impact and mitigation studies
Keywords: microplastics, mercury, Dicentrarchus labrax, neurotoxicity, acetylcholinesterase inhibition, lipid peroxidation, oxidative stress, energy metabolism enzymes, lactate dehydrogenase, isocitrate dehydrogenase, bioaccumulation, mercury bioaccumulation, heavy metals, marine fish
MeSH terms: Animals, Bass, Biological Assay, Brain, Energy Metabolism, Environmental Monitoring, Humans, Mercury, Plastics, Water Pollutants, Chemical, Biomarkers, Oxidative Stress

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Microplastics cause neurotoxicity, oxidative damage and energy-related changes and interact with the bioaccumulation of mercury in the European seabass, Dicentrarchus labrax (Linnaeus, 1758)

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