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Microplastics decrease the toxicity of triphenyl phosphate (TPhP) in the marine medaka (Oryzias melastigma) larvae.

Yu Ting Zhang1, Mengyun Chen1, Shuiqing He1

  • 1Fujian Key Laboratory of Functional Marine Sensing Materials, Institute of Oceanography, Minjiang University, Fuzhou 350108, China.

The Science of the Total Environment
|November 1, 2020
PubMed
Summary

Polystyrene microplastics surprisingly reversed triphenyl phosphate (TPhP) toxicity in marine medaka larvae, restoring normal activity. This challenges the assumption that microplastics always worsen pollutant effects, offering new insights into environmental risks.

Keywords:
Binary mixtureLocomotor activityMarine medaka (Oryzias melastigma)MicroplasticsTriphenyl phosphate

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Area of Science:

  • Environmental Toxicology
  • Marine Biology
  • Ecotoxicology

Background:

  • Microplastics are recognized environmental pollutants with potential to interact with and modulate the toxicity of other contaminants.
  • Polystyrene (PS) microplastics and triphenyl phosphate (TPhP), an organophosphate flame retardant, are prevalent in marine environments.
  • The combined effects of microplastics and chemical pollutants on marine organisms require further investigation.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the toxicity of polystyrene microplastic fragments (plain PS, PS-COOH, PS-NH2) and TPhP on marine medaka (Oryzias melastigma) larvae.
  • To determine the interactive effects of microplastics and TPhP on larval behavior and gene expression.
  • To assess whether microplastics exacerbate or mitigate TPhP toxicity in marine medaka larvae.

Main Methods:

  • Marine medaka larvae were exposed for 7 days to environmentally relevant concentrations of PS microplastics, TPhP, or binary mixtures.
  • Locomotor activity (duration and distance) was measured to assess behavioral changes.
  • Gene expression levels of sine oculis homeobox homologue 3 (six3) and short wavelength-sensitive type 2 (sws2) were analyzed.

Main Results:

  • TPhP exposure significantly decreased larval locomotor activity and down-regulated the expression of six3 and sws2 genes.
  • Microplastics alone did not affect larval locomotor activity.
  • Co-exposure to TPhP and microplastics (PS, PS-COOH, PS-NH2) reversed the TPhP-induced decrease in locomotor activity to normal levels.

Conclusions:

  • The study challenges the prevailing view that microplastics invariably aggravate pollutant toxicity.
  • Polystyrene microplastics demonstrated a protective effect against TPhP-induced behavioral toxicity in marine medaka larvae.
  • These findings highlight complex interactions between microplastics and chemical pollutants, necessitating nuanced environmental risk assessments.