Key Laboratory of High Magnetic Field and Ion Beam Physical Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Anhui Province Key Laboratory of Environmental Toxicology and Pollution Control Technology, High Magnetic Field Laboratory, Hefei Institutes of Physical Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Hefei 230031, China.
School of Graduate Students, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei 230026, China.
Int J Mol Sci. 2023 Dec 7;24(24):17219. doi: 10.3390/ijms242417219.
Microplastics (MPs) are emerging pollutants and pose a significant threat to marine ecosystems. Although previous studies have documented the mechanisms and toxic effects of aging MPs in various environments, the impact of the marine environment on MPs remains unclear. In the present study, the aging process of polystyrene (PS) in seawater was simulated and the changes in its physicochemical properties were investigated. Our results showed that the surface of the PS eroded in the seawater, which was accompanied by the release of aged MPs with a smaller size. In situ optical photothermal infrared microspectroscopy revealed that the mechanism of PS aging was related to the opening of the carbonyl group and breaking of the bond between carbon and benzene removal. To verify the toxic effects of aged PS, was exposed to PS. Aged PS resulted in a greater reduction in locomotion, vitality, and reproduction than virgin PS. Mechanistically, aged PS led to oxidative stress, high glutathione s-transferase activity, and high total glutathione in worms. Together, our findings provided novel information regarding the accelerated aging of PS in seawater and the increased toxicity of aged PS, which could improve our understanding of MPs' ecotoxicity in the marine environment.
微塑料（MPs）是新兴污染物，对海洋生态系统构成重大威胁。尽管先前的研究已经记录了 MPs 在各种环境中老化的机制和毒性效应，但海洋环境对 MPs 的影响仍不清楚。在本研究中，模拟了聚苯乙烯（PS）在海水中的老化过程，并研究了其物理化学性质的变化。我们的结果表明，PS 在海水中发生了侵蚀，伴随着具有更小尺寸的老化 MPs 的释放。原位光学光热红外微光谱表明，PS 老化的机制与羰基的开启和碳与苯之间的键断裂有关。为了验证老化 PS 的毒性效应，将 暴露于 PS。与 virgin PS 相比，老化 PS 导致运动、活力和繁殖能力下降幅度更大。从机制上讲，老化 PS 导致氧化应激、高谷胱甘肽 S-转移酶活性和总谷胱甘肽升高。总之，我们的研究结果为 PS 在海水中的加速老化和老化 PS 的毒性增加提供了新的信息，这可以提高我们对 MPs 在海洋环境中的生态毒性的理解。
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