Students Name: Aadhavan.T.

M,
Guided By: Dr.Karthick Raja Namasivayam
NON TARGET TOXICITY ASSESSMENT OF BIODEGRADIZED
PRODUCTS OF MICROPLASTIC USING ZEBRA FISH MODEL

INTRODUCTION
Microplastics are tiny plastic particles that are less than 5 mm in size, which are
found in various environmental media such as oceans, freshwater, soil, and air.
Microplastics are generated by the fragmentation of larger plastic items, such as
packaging materials, and from the shedding of microplastic fibers from textiles during
laundering. Biodegradation is considered as one of the promising ways to mitigate
microplastic pollution. However, there is a lack of knowledge on the potential adverse
effects of biodegraded microplastic products on non-target organisms.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Collection of biodegraded product of microplastics:
Microplastics samples that degraded with bacterial inoculant (rhizobium) was used in this study.
Zebrafish embryonic toxicity study:
Collection and maintenance of zebrafish embryo under standard condition
e
Addition of microplastic (0.1ml) to the culture medium

Determination of various parameters at predetermined time interval (24,48,72,96,120) using

phase contrast microscope

Parameters studied (mortality of embryo, mobility pattern, hatching rate %, morphological

changes)

RESULTS
The study is elongated to 96 hours since embryogenesis
occurs at 96 hours and the four stages of embryonic
development occur between 24 and 96 hours
(Figure 8: a-h). In both the control and nanoparticle-
treated flasks, hatching, early larval stages, segmented
embryos, and pharyngeal embryos were visually
perceived. A substantial vicissitude in embryonic
Figure 8.Effect of biodegraded products of microplastics on developmental neurotoxicity in Zebrafish

morphology was not optically discernible in the test group of zebrafish (Figure 8). No
toxicity was visually perceived in the treatment groups. The control embryos were
mundane. The heart rate of the rats in both tests and the control group was
mundane, ranging from 160 to 180 beats per minute. The motility pattern in the
experiments (Figure 8: e-f) was the same as the movement pattern in the reference,
indicating that the metabolites created by the nanotechnology did not cause any
discernible toxicity.

DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSION

Because of the increased use of novel medications, there is an urgent need for low-
cost, rapid in vivo models to investigate total drug toxicity and metabolic effects. One
such model is the zebrafish, which has many similarities to humans (Zhao et al 2022)
Because nanoparticles may cross the blood-brain barrier, they have prompted fresh
concerns regarding potential neurotoxicity. The zebrafish offers significant tools for
overcoming the limitations of other models in neurotoxicity testing. However, the
utilization of early life stages in humans and animals to estimate its long-term toxicity
is restricted. In this light, the zebrafish has been regarded as an effective model
organism for ketamine biosafety studies

BIBLIOGRAPHY
• Theodorou E, Karaolia P, Anastasiadou K, Hapeshi E, Christou A, Torres T, et al. Toxicity of
biodegraded microplastics and nanoplastics in a zebrafish embryo model. Nanomaterials.
2021;11(1):148.
• Rowe SP, Lindeque PK, Galloway TS. The impact of microplastic biodegradation on toxicity to
the marine fish Danio rerio. Environ Sci Technol. 2020;54(17):10998-11007.
• Kim T, Choi K, Lee J, Kang JH, Kim SY, Kim SW, et al. Biodegradation of microplastics in
marine environments: a review on current knowledge and future perspectives. Marine Pollution
Bulletin. 2019;141:448-458.