Metabolomic disorders unveil hepatotoxicity of environmental microplastics in wild fish Serranus scriba (Linnaeus 1758)

• Published in: The Science of the total environment Vol. 838; no. Pt 1; p. 155872
• Main Authors: Zitouni, Nesrine, Cappello, Tiziana, Missawi, Omayma, Boughattas, Iteb, De Marco, Giuseppe, Belbekhouche, Sabrina, Mokni, Moncef, Alphonse, Vanessa, Guerbej, Hamadi, Bousserrhine, Noureddine, Banni, Mohamed
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Netherlands Elsevier B.V 10.09.2022; Elsevier
• Subjects: Benthopelagic fish; Chemical Sciences; Coastal pollution; Ecotoxicological endpoints; Liver; Microplastic polymers; NMR-based metabolomics; NMR-based metabolomics; Microplastic polymers; Benthopelagic fish; Ecotoxicological endpoints; Coastal pollution; Liver
• ISSN: 0048-9697; 1879-1026
• DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2022.155872

Coastal areas are worldwide subject to large inputs of anthropogenic wastes that are discharged directly into inshore waters, where they will be weathered into small microplastics (MPs) of up to a size <20 μm. This study provides information about the presence of small environmental MPs (≤3 μm) in the liver of adult benthopelagic fish Serranus scriba (Linnaeus 1758), caught from three coastal regions in Tunisia distinguished by different patterns of human activity. Polymer composition in fish liver was identified using Raman microspectroscopy. Results revealed differences in the abundance, size distribution and presence of plastic additives over the investigated sites. Polyethylene-vinyl acetate (PEVA: 34% particles/g of tissue), high density polyethylene (HDPE: 24.4%) and the two smaller size classes, i.e. 3–1.2 μm and 1.2–0.45 μm, were the most abundant MPs types and size distribution found, respectively, in Bizerte channel (BC) site (Bizerte city, Tunisia). Moreover, at hepatic level data showed a significant site-dependent cytotoxicity expressed by changes in malondialdehyde (MDA) content, presence of reactive oxygen species (ROS) expressed by altered level of catalase (CAT) and glutathione-S-transferase (GST) activities and in the content of metallothioneins (MTs), as well as genotoxicity by changes in the amount of micronucleus (MN), and neurotoxicity by altered activity of acetylcholinesterase (AChE). A innovative metabolomics analysis was also performed to further investigate the distinct patterns of key metabolite changes in the liver of Serranus scriba. A total of 36 metabolites were significantly affected, mainly involved in energy, amino acid and osmolyte metabolism. These findings emphasised for the first time a close relationship between the source, abundance and size ranges of environmental MPs ≤ 3 μm and their hepatotoxicity in wild organisms. [Display omitted] •Environmental microplastics were detected and characterized in liver of wild fish.•The abundance, size distribution and leaching additives were site-dependent.•36 metabolites of energy metabolism, amino acids and osmolytes were affected.•First evidence of liver metabolomic disorder associated to environmental microplastics.