Polystyrene Nanoplastics Can Alter the Toxicological Effects of Simvastatin on <em>Danio rerio</em>
Once in the environment, nanoplastics (NPls) may interact with other contaminants, such as pharmaceuticals, potentially acting as carriers and modulating their toxicity. Thus, the main aim of the current study is to investigate how polystyrene (PS) NPls (mean diameter: 60 nm) interact with simvastat...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2021-02-01
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| Series: | Toxics |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2305-6304/9/3/44 |
| _version_ | 1797395066931642368 |
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| author | Angela Barreto Joana Santos Mónica J.B. Amorim Vera L. Maria |
| author_facet | Angela Barreto Joana Santos Mónica J.B. Amorim Vera L. Maria |
| author_sort | Angela Barreto |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Once in the environment, nanoplastics (NPls) may interact with other contaminants, such as pharmaceuticals, potentially acting as carriers and modulating their toxicity. Thus, the main aim of the current study is to investigate how polystyrene (PS) NPls (mean diameter: 60 nm) interact with simvastatin (SIM), an anticholesterolemic drug, and modulate its toxicity to zebrafish (<i>Danio rerio</i>) embryos. PS NPls were carboxyl group functionalized, to promote the interaction/binding of NPls with SIM (worst-case scenarios) and it was fluorescently dyed, allowing to detect the intake. Exposure was 96 h to 0–150 mg/L NPls or 0–150 µg/L SIM, as well as to dual combinations (NPls 0.015 or 1.5 mg/L and SIM 12.5 or 15 µg/L). PS NPls alone did not exert effects whereas SIM (≥ 12.5 µg/L) significantly delayed the hatching, decreased the heartbeat, induced edemas and mortality. The combination of NPls (1.5 mg/L) and SIM (12.5 or 15 µg/L) had significant effects on the survival of the organisms while the correspondent NPls and SIM single exposures did not have significant effects on this endpoint. Concerning the malformations appearance, SIM alone had similar effects than when in co-exposures (0.015 mg/L NPls plus 12.5 or 15 µg/L SIM). Hatching and heartbeat increased after the co-exposures SIM and NPls comparing with SIM single exposures, showing that 0.015 mg/L NPls plus 12.5 or 15 µg/L SIM did not cause significant effects on these endpoints. This study shows that NPls effects on bioavailability and toxicity of other contaminants cannot be ignored when assessing the environmental behavior and risks of NPls. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-09T00:29:01Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-066417df80a14b04996597828b0fcad0 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2305-6304 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-09T00:29:01Z |
| publishDate | 2021-02-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Toxics |
| spelling | doaj.art-066417df80a14b04996597828b0fcad02023-12-11T18:38:20ZengMDPI AGToxics2305-63042021-02-01934410.3390/toxics9030044Polystyrene Nanoplastics Can Alter the Toxicological Effects of Simvastatin on <em>Danio rerio</em>Angela Barreto0Joana Santos1Mónica J.B. Amorim2Vera L. Maria3Department of Biology & CESAM, University of Aveiro, 3810-193 Aveiro, PortugalDepartment of Biology & CESAM, University of Aveiro, 3810-193 Aveiro, PortugalDepartment of Biology & CESAM, University of Aveiro, 3810-193 Aveiro, PortugalDepartment of Biology & CESAM, University of Aveiro, 3810-193 Aveiro, PortugalOnce in the environment, nanoplastics (NPls) may interact with other contaminants, such as pharmaceuticals, potentially acting as carriers and modulating their toxicity. Thus, the main aim of the current study is to investigate how polystyrene (PS) NPls (mean diameter: 60 nm) interact with simvastatin (SIM), an anticholesterolemic drug, and modulate its toxicity to zebrafish (<i>Danio rerio</i>) embryos. PS NPls were carboxyl group functionalized, to promote the interaction/binding of NPls with SIM (worst-case scenarios) and it was fluorescently dyed, allowing to detect the intake. Exposure was 96 h to 0–150 mg/L NPls or 0–150 µg/L SIM, as well as to dual combinations (NPls 0.015 or 1.5 mg/L and SIM 12.5 or 15 µg/L). PS NPls alone did not exert effects whereas SIM (≥ 12.5 µg/L) significantly delayed the hatching, decreased the heartbeat, induced edemas and mortality. The combination of NPls (1.5 mg/L) and SIM (12.5 or 15 µg/L) had significant effects on the survival of the organisms while the correspondent NPls and SIM single exposures did not have significant effects on this endpoint. Concerning the malformations appearance, SIM alone had similar effects than when in co-exposures (0.015 mg/L NPls plus 12.5 or 15 µg/L SIM). Hatching and heartbeat increased after the co-exposures SIM and NPls comparing with SIM single exposures, showing that 0.015 mg/L NPls plus 12.5 or 15 µg/L SIM did not cause significant effects on these endpoints. This study shows that NPls effects on bioavailability and toxicity of other contaminants cannot be ignored when assessing the environmental behavior and risks of NPls.https://www.mdpi.com/2305-6304/9/3/44plasticspharmaceuticalsecotoxicologyaquatic organismsco-exposure |
| spellingShingle | Angela Barreto Joana Santos Mónica J.B. Amorim Vera L. Maria Polystyrene Nanoplastics Can Alter the Toxicological Effects of Simvastatin on <em>Danio rerio</em> Toxics plastics pharmaceuticals ecotoxicology aquatic organisms co-exposure |
| title | Polystyrene Nanoplastics Can Alter the Toxicological Effects of Simvastatin on <em>Danio rerio</em> |
| title_full | Polystyrene Nanoplastics Can Alter the Toxicological Effects of Simvastatin on <em>Danio rerio</em> |
| title_fullStr | Polystyrene Nanoplastics Can Alter the Toxicological Effects of Simvastatin on <em>Danio rerio</em> |
| title_full_unstemmed | Polystyrene Nanoplastics Can Alter the Toxicological Effects of Simvastatin on <em>Danio rerio</em> |
| title_short | Polystyrene Nanoplastics Can Alter the Toxicological Effects of Simvastatin on <em>Danio rerio</em> |
| title_sort | polystyrene nanoplastics can alter the toxicological effects of simvastatin on em danio rerio em |
| topic | plastics pharmaceuticals ecotoxicology aquatic organisms co-exposure |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2305-6304/9/3/44 |
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