Multilevel Toxicity Evaluations of Polyethylene Microplastics in Zebrafish (Danio rerio)

Microplastics in freshwater environments pose a serious threat to living beings. Polyethylene microplastics (PE-MP) are the type most used around the world as microbeads in personal care products, and they have been found in aquatic organisms. The behavior and toxicity of fluorescent PE-MP spheres with an average diameter of 58.9 μm were studied in adult, juvenile and embryo zebrafish (Danio rerio). The adults were studied for genotoxicity, cytotoxicity, histology and biochemical markers. Juveniles underwent a follow-up in the gastrointestinal (GI) tract with histologic observations, and embryos were studied for embryotoxicity with the FET-test. In adults, micronucleus test and comet assays found neither genotoxicity after acute exposure for 96 h at concentrations of 0.0, 12.5, 50 and 100 mg.L^-1, nor cytotoxicity through the nuclear abnormalities test. Acetylcholinesterase (AChE), Glutathione-S-Transferase (GST) and Lactate Dehydrogenase (LDH) activities were measured in adults exposed for 96 h. The AChE and GST activities were significantly changed, while no changes occurred for LDH. In conclusion, these PE-MP spheres did not cause serious toxic effects in zebrafish because there was no internalization. The observed biochemical changes in AChE and GST may be associated with GI microbiological dysbiosis, previously reported. The PE-MP spheres in the intestine of juveniles remained present for 12-15 days on average after the post-exposure clearance study, showing a slow depuration. The histological analysis, in adults, found no internalization of these microbeads, with complete depuration. The PE-MP spheres did not cross the chorion barrier, showing no embryotoxic effects after exposures at 0.0, 6.25, 12.5, 50.0 or 100.0 mg.L^-1 for 96 h.